The Complications of Friendship
by Hitokun
Summary: Fire Emblem: SS Being just friends can be complicated when strong emotions tie two people together. But raising the issue to being more than friends is near impossible when society condemns what they have. Shoujo ai MarisaxTana
1. A Rude Awakening

A/N: I kinda suck…this btw, is the new and improved beta-ed version!!! Please review!!

**The Complications of Friendship **

**Chapter 1**

**A Rude Awakening **

The desert sun beat down mercilessly upon the heads of Princess Eirika's army. Despite the sweltering heat, each and every one of the rag tag band of soldiers were fighting valiantly against the bane of the Grado oppression. They had already taken Jehanna, but that would stop there, and no longer would Grado do as it pleased. The generals, Caellach and Valter manned their forts, commanding their two armies to demolish Eirika's.

Splitting her already tiny militia into various groups, she sent a couple after each of the Kings on the proverbial chessboard, while she herself took some troops to lend assistance to the villagers in the south. Trudging off, each section made their way towards their assigned destinations. However, not everyone was in such damper dispositions, despite the heat and the fact they their movement was basically rent in half due to the thick sands. The one assembly that was consigned to Valter's downfall was apparently in high spirits, full of the mercenary troupe's younger and more optimistic members. Franz, Renais' up and coming Knight-sergeant, talked quietly with the Grado recruit, Amelia. Neimi, their group's only archer, tagged along behind the blond lancer girl, while at the same time, trying hard to ignore Colm as he spouted insults at her. Leading the petite faction was a lone swordswoman, her magenta head bent and eyes closed in meditation as she walked slowly with her Shamshir in hand. Even with her eyes fully closed, she still managed to stay exactly 3 meters in front of the others. Even being able to sense other's movements without her sight, she wasn't expecting it when something tackled her from above…

Usually, Marisa was the most calm and collected member in the entirety of Eirika's army, complete with an indifferent air about her. Some would say that she was the coolest character, but in truth…which a certain Frelian princess found out was, that Marisa was nothing more than an excellent swordswoman with poor conversation skills. Now, hanging off the deadly Crimson Flash was said princess, princess Tana of Frelia, the only one who could pull a surprise attack on Marisa and not expect to get her head cut off… Currently, the adventurous young Pegasus knight tried her luck.

"…Tana…I can't walk." Marisa was as monotonous as always, her eyes still trained on the sea of sand in front of her.

Behind her, Tana giggled at her friend's response, hugging Marisa closer from the rear. "I know that. But it's gotten so lonely up there without anyone to talk to!" Now, the swordswoman looked far beyond uncomfortable, and something akin to a blush stained her cheeks. Meanwhile, further behind the pair, Amelia, known as one of the few people who could laugh at Marisa without getting dismembered, was laughing…at Marisa.

Putting on her cold façade, Marisa collected her thoughts, gently removing Tana's arms from around her shoulders. "Princess Tana. Please refrain from committing such acts in the middle of a battlefield… If you're lonely…talk to Amelia…or Neimi…" The pink haired mercenary was avoiding Tana's gaze now, walking on ahead by herself.

Tana giggled quietly and rolled her eyes as she watched Marisa's retreating back for a minute before she decided that the battlefield was indeed not social time… She dejectedly signaled her Pegasus, Achaeus, to trot by her side. Marisa and Tana walked in silence for the rest of the way.

Suddenly, Marisa paused and drew her sword. Tana, walking behind her, could see the pink haired woman tense visibly. Wondering what type of situation they were in, she asked. "Marisa…Marisa, What's wrong?"

The swordsmaster was all business, her ears perked up and she summed up her thoughts into two words. "They're coming." Everyone in their little group heard those two words and they immediately took up their stances, glancing around in search of the enemy the battle-honed Marisa warned them of. Louder this time, she yelled to her comrades. "To the east, Wyverns approach us!"

And sure enough, a dark reddish cloud appeared over the horizon, darkening the sky with their murky and foreboding forms. As they neared, the company could see from the beginning that their meager numbers weren't enough to fend off the draconic beasts, as four or five dozen Wyvern riders were headed their way. Not once had Marisa ever doubted her ability, but this time, they were too badly outnumbered. The group armed themselves quickly, and Tana mounted her Pegasus, ready to take off into the sky once they engaged their enemy. Neimi notched an arrow to her large steel contraption and let the shafts of death fly forward. Having airborne opponents, Neimi was suited as their best offense against them. After landing a dire hit on two wyverns, the rest started to make hasty dives towards the ground, making it harder for Neimi to hit her mark, and now wasn't a time to run out of arrows due to randomly aiming to hit something.

Abruptly, the Wyverns had appeared again, flying low to the ground in a sort of battle formation towards Marisa and her group. Acting quickly, Neimi fired off a few more arrows from her spot situation behind Colm, who had his long daggers drawn and poised to defend his childhood friend, who he had to admit, was pretty good with a bow of any sort... As Wyverns launched themselves at the Renais' army, Tana took off into the air to deal with those coming at them, her speed and preciseness helped her lance find its home in her enemies' hearts. Down below, Marisa and the others fended off the riders from a disadvantage, since they were situated on the ground against aerial attacks. Using her carefully practiced skill, Marisa tried out her new technique, one she had learned from a friend of hers who was a famed assassin of that variety… Focusing her energy, the outline of her body could be seen flickering unstably as she disappeared and reappeared rapidly, whether on ground or in mid air, making quick work of her enemy, killing at least a dozen riders. Some could call it a kind of enchantment, magic that allowed one to bring death to all those around her. Marisa panted slightly, wiping the sweat from her brow as she stilled herself, flinging the coat of grime from her sword as all manner of blood, bone and flesh rained down around her, though not spilling a single drop upon her clothes. Though it took quite a lot out of her, it was a macabre trump card she loved to put into practice in situations like these.

As one suddenly dove at Amelia from above, she quickly thrust upwards at the open-mouthed monstrosity, her lance digging itself deep into the creature's oral orifice, spilling blood out onto her already bright red armor. Mount incapacitated, the wyvern's rider jumped off and hefted his spear menacingly, but a steel shaft suddenly found its way into the man's skull. Amelia chanced a quick look as she met Neimi's wink, returning the gesture. Both girls had, however, felt the recoil as they witnessed the loss of yet another after life. But this was war, and the purpose of war, no matter how justified, was to kill one another.

On his steed, Franz stayed his ground, slaying Wyvern left and right, in his hand he weld a Wyrmslayer, a special blade intended for use against these winged creatures. The mercenary Marisa, in the meanwhile, was quite enjoying herself, dancing across the sands in a blur, her deadly Shamshir slashing through her enemies easily. Moving so quickly, she was really naught but a Crimson Flash on the desert grounds, as she leapt up to deal the strokes of the killing arts. Dismembering Grado soldier after Grado Soldier, she couldn't help but come to the conclusion that there was no end to the flocks of Wyverns, as reinforcements arrived upon the hour. Not to mention that their casualties were not quite slim. She herself sported a couple of broken ribs while getting run over by a Wyvern. Neimi had almost run out of arrows, containing only 30 shots left, Colm's waning protection being the only thing standing between her and a rider's lance head. Franz and Amelia had both suffered extensive injuries, broken bones and deep gashes, and with all the continuous combat that had been carrying on over the past couple of hours, their small party wouldn't last too much longer against the seemingly endless stream of Wyvern Riders and Wyvern knights.

Sliding backwards, Marisa took in a painful breath and clutched her mid section. Having taken another hit to the same place, she could feel the blood filling her mouth and running down the side of her chin. Spitting out the coppery liquid, she hefted up her sword with her left hand and charged into combat once again, her sword tip meeting the shaft of a lance. A scream suddenly echoed out, fear seeping into Marisa's mind, clouding it with concern as she recognized the voice as the Princess Tana's. Forgoing all the rules she learned as a seasoned swordswoman, she glanced in the direction where the cry erupted, and in that split second, Marisa felt her eyes widen, as she watched the spear run through the blue princess' shoulder.

It was almost too overdue as Marisa turned her eyes back onto her opponent and dodged, a second too late as she felt the searing pain of the lance's jagged spearhead rip through the side of her head. The mercenary reeled back, pushed back by the force of the spear's thrust. She clutched her head in an attempt to stop the fierce bleeding, but the flow of blood gushed out inexorably, like water, as it streamed down the side of her face and onto the golden sands, turning them a revolting black. Before long, the whole side of her face was covered in her blood, marring her pale skin and filled her sight with a thick film of blood. She couldn't see out of one eye now and her head was filled with thundering pain, threatening to explode. Collapsing to the ground, her mind cried out in refusal, but her body couldn't take it much longer. She was going to die here. Marisa could tell the Wyvern rider was coming towards her to deal the finishing blow.

"Marisa!" She looked up slightly to see her blurry savior; a blood splattered angel, Tana on her Pegasus had come to save her. Tana hurriedly dispatched the rider and rushed to Marisa's side, calling frantically for medical aid. Nearly tumbling off her Pegasus, Tana knelt beside the fallen and bloody Marisa, holding her. "Marisa! Please hang in there! Help is coming. They'll save you for sure! You'll be fine!" The princess' voice was close to hysterical and she was… crying. Frantically wiping her tears away, she cradled her friend in her arms.

Marisa, still in a muddled battle frame of mind, asked, her strength barely holding up. "B-but…Tana…What are you d-doing…? We're open targets for those W-Wyverns… We'll both be killed…"

Tana shook her head. "Our allies are here to help u-us! See! There's Gerik and Joshua even. Even Ephraim's back and my brother's there, covering for us too! They've come to help us…It'll all be over soon…so...please, I beg you…don't die!"

Straining to open her eyes, she saw that what Tana spoke was the truth. Her close companions, Gerik and Joshua were there. Looking up at Tana, Marisa gave her a sincere smile, one she hadn't shown for so long now. "I-I'm sorry…Tana…Why am I so weak…? I-I can't... M-my eyes feel heavy beyond imagination and I sense a cold chill even in this b-blistering heat... I-I'm glad to have b-been your friend, Tana... _Forgive me_." The mercenary's eyes closed as her head lolled to one side, but Marisa could still half hear Tana's desperate cries, and her frantic pleas for L'Arachel to make use of her magic. Afterwards, she no longer heard her voice, and finally, drifted off into a black nothingness…

A pair of pale pink eyes snapped open in the empty tent, the darkness suffocating her already cluttered senses. The drop in temperature and lack of light and commotion outside signaled the fact that night had already fallen. Sitting up painstakingly, she winced. Touching a hand to her head, she felt the blood seep through the carefully wound bandages, making a mess of her clean hands. Not only that, her head of magenta hair was matted in her own blood, something that told her that her dream had not been just a dream after all. As images rushed back to her, the swordswoman could feel the hot tears sting the corners of her eyes, threatening to fall. She was worthless. The undefeated Crimson Flash had been dishonored, and she had let down so many people. She herself had to be so shamefully protected by others, while she should've been the one to fill that role, as a fighter, a sort of protector… Anger and disappointment attacked her in a violent barrage, her tears ever so slightly spilling over. The sensation of having let her emotions get the better of her washed over the forlorn woman, and she seethed, unable to forgive herself for her idiocy.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as Marisa heard the rustling of the tent flap. Her keen eyes darted towards the entrance, catching sight of Princess Tana's slender form. As the blue haired princess entered the tent, she smiled brightly at Marisa, and made her way toward the cot. "Marisa! I-I'm so glad that you've recovered." The mercenary gave a small word of confirmation, but something seemed amiss in Tana's voice, Marisa noted. It lacked her usual tone of enthusiasm. Tana suddenly stopped in her tracks, head lowered, as her shoulders started shaking. Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides and Marisa could hear her soft sobs puncture the silence in the tent. The swordswoman wanted to comfort her friend but could do naught much, as she herself was wallowing in her self pity.

"T-Tana…"

Walking towards her once again, the princess took a seat the end of Marisa's cot. She raised her head and wiped the tears away hastily as she looked up at Marisa with a weak smile. "I just…thought I was going to lose you…" The statement alone surprised Marisa, and she stared, wide eyed and speechless at Tana. "T-there was so much blood. It spilled out like a fountain! I didn't know what to do. You're… very… important to me, Marisa…I treasure our friendship immeasurably…" The young princess flung herself at Marisa, burying her head into the mercenary's shoulder. With the impact and shock Tana's sudden contact created, they both fell backwards onto the cot.

Marisa's face flared a deep red, an uncomfortable heat coursing through her body. The mercenary looked down at her friend, who was embracing her tightly as they lay there. Marisa could feel the tears Tana shed soak through her top, and sympathy, an alien feeling filled Marisa's consciousness. Tana had obviously gone through some traumatic feelings, and it was her duty, as her friend to comfort her in this time of need, even though Marisa, at the moment, felt terribly awkward.

"Marisa…Are we…f-friends…?" A muffled voice asked.

Tana's question was followed by a pregnant pause as the person in question blinked twice, wondering where on earth this query suddenly popped out of. Sighing, she had to provide an answer to reveal that the heartless killer, Marisa, was really in fact, just a normal person inside, if not more. "Tana...If we weren't friends, I'd wonder what you could mean to me to cause me to worry so much for your well being…When you were injured in battle earlier…I-it hurt me as well…It felt as if someone had ripped a hole in my chest, and I could feel the ache my heart let out…" Tana listened intently, wanting to hear Marisa's thoughts and surprisingly…this was the most she'd heard her say for weeks.

Marisa continued on, taking in a deep breath, "I…I know my personality isn't the most warming, but I…c-c-care for…you…I-I also want to protect you from harm, and when I'm not able to…I feel that I've let you down as well as myself…" The swordswoman blushed to the tips of her ears. In her mind, she mentally reprimanded herself for acting so childishly like this. Friends? On the battlefield? That would just hinder things…These are all lies…lies…nothing but…lies…

The swordswoman nearly let out an uncharacteristic yelp as Tana snuggled closer to her, resting her head on Marisa's pillow as she lay half on top of the flustered mercenary, spreading the thin covers over both of them. Letting out a delightful laugh, Tana winked and explained, though a half hearted attempt at making sense… "The nights are cold in the desert and wouldn't it be better if both of us shared our body heat?"

Now, the stoic sword wielder felt even more unpleasant than before, Tana, having pressed up right against her, her chest rubbing up against Marisa's side… Cheeks aflame with embarrassment, she tried to reason with the princess, who had miraculously recovered from her slum of heartbreaking melancholy. "Ahh…P-Princess Tana, w-would you please r-reconsider your d-decision….? This is…uh…improper conduct on the battlefield, and w-what if we are discovered in this compromising position? What would the rest of the army assume? Your brother especially! In addition…this closeness feels quite…erm…t-too close…"

Tana stifled her laughter, finding amusement in Marisa's flustered state. Pouting, she tried to convince Marisa of her valid reasons. "Ma-ri-sa! Please! I beg of you, please let me stay…My tent is on the other side of the encampment and I don't think Amelia would appreciate it if I slept in her cot. Oh…well, I suppose I could sleep on the ground then…"

Marisa was faced with a terrible predicament, but she could never let the princess sleep on the ground like a filthy beggar. "Ah, that's not necessary! Y-you can…spend the night…here…with me…"

The princess smirked triumphantly and hugged Marisa even closer, bidding her a good night. Marisa replied with a weak 'Good night', and tried to relax her tense body, despite having the source of her problem lying beside her. As the tired mercenary settled down, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, wondering to herself, how Tana could still hold such a sweet fragrance after a day of sweat, blood and tears out in the blistering desert. She drifted off to sleep; a rare smile graced her lips.


	2. Accident

A/N: Filler chapter: I tooooootally messed this chapter up. XD If you like it, please review. Please and thank you! Btw…This is so un-beta-ed…

Hitokun: I can't draw or write!!!! What will I DO?!!??

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

**Accident****

* * *

**

Nothing could deter the duty of a knight to his princess.

Tana had been grounded by a barrage of snipers; their arrows had ripped through Achaeus' feathered wings. As the feathered beast spiralled towards the earth, Marisa couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse for the poor Pegasus. With a more important priority flashing in her mind, however, she rushed to the scene. As she pumped her legs to go faster, her heart pounded in her ears, her consciousness prayed for Tana's safety. In naught but a moment's time, the Crimson Flash had barrelled through the advancing troops surrounding the fallen Pegasus knight, leaving behind cutlets that once used to be men. Marisa bared her teeth as she poised herself in defense, shielding the wounded Princess behind her. Nothing would get past her even if Heaven and Hell were to intervene.

Sidestepping, Marisa dodged the blade of a hero's attack, letting the man strike nothing but the air where she used to be. Without a thought, the swordswoman took advantage of the momentary lapse and thrust her sword through the man's temple, a spring of blood spurting forth onto the river bank. Whirling around, she slashed another enemy with an uprising sweep, severing the body as all manner of blood and innards splattered out.

Behind the vicious swordswoman, Tana swallowed hard, attempting to keep her lunch down after witnessing such a gruesome killing. She'd never witnessed such violence and never was Marisa so savage, so…brutal. The swordsmaster's graceful strides, her fluid and swift motions were replaced by rough and ragged cuts. Even her stoic concentration was changed, marred with a bloodlust that seemed inhuman. Even so, without the swordsmaster's actions, she would have died the moment she crashed, the moment she broke her spear arm in the fall. Clutching her twisted arm, she looked on as Marisa flung a soldier into the fast flowing torrents of the river Narube. The man was impaled by his own weapon, his blood mingling with the river's fresh water. Tana winced as Marisa did this with not a hint of condolence shown on her fair features. Too engrossed in her observing of Marisa's battle, the princess hadn't noticed the shadow that had crept up on her, the large axe now hanging mere inches over her head. Only as she spotted the brute's reflection in the water did she let out a scream.

Before she knew what had happened, Tana heard a loud thud behind her, the axe-man's body collapsing in a heap, his head lying meters away. Tana swore she saw a flash of pink zip by, but it was impossibly so for someone to move that quickly.

Wiping the grime off her blade, Marisa darted her eyes back and forth, surveying the area. It seemed empty for miles now, without an enemy in sight. Bending down, she squatted as she inspected the wounded princess with shaking hands.

Gently running a finger over Tana's injured arm, Marisa had a grim expression painted on. "Tana, I'm afraid you're in no condition to fight. I will have to take you back to the healer's tent." The swordsmaster's tone was as stone faced as usual, but something, Tana noted, was amiss in her voice.

Tana pouted, feigning annoyance. "Fine. Only if you accompany me, Marisa. I don't want to get ambushed on the way there. So be a friend and protect me for a bit of the way there? I promise I won't be a nuisance anymore!" She smiled guiltily as she tried to get up. Unfortunately, the princess had another casualty she hadn't quite realized she had suffered. As she put weight on her right foot, her knees buckled. She would've ended up sprawled on the blood soaked ground if it wasn't for Marisa, who caught her in a half embrace.

"Tana!" For a moment, the swordsmaster let her concern slip, those pink eyes filled with worry. "Are you okay? Have you been injured elsewhere?" Marisa's embrace lingered for only a second, until the straight faced façade came back, and she helped hoist Tana to her feet.

The princess suppressed a giggle at the swordswoman's ever changing expressions. She smiled sheepishly as she pointed to her right leg that was swathed in an array of bloodied fabric from her torn tights. "I-I don't think I can walk…" said Tana. She tested her weight on it, wincing as she did so. "I don't think I can ride on Achaeus either…look at the poor thing." Tana whistled quietly to her wounded steed, the Pegasus limped towards her slowly, a seeming mess of blood and feathers.

Standing at the princess' side, Marisa watched as Tana cooed to her Pegasus, she could see the tears in the knight's eyes as she comforted her winged horse. The swordsmaster mechanically sheathed her sword with her free arm, the other, holding up the blue haired woman. Her voice containing that usual cold air, she found something to fill the silence between them. "Tana. You have to go back to camp to treat those wounds. Achaeus too. You'll be in danger if you stay here any longer."

Tana smiled, a little too sweetly. "Well, Marisa, I'm sure I would be on my way right now, if I could walk properly…" a hint of sarcasm laced her voice, but Marisa's expression remained unchanged. "Limping all the way back to camp will take a very long time…and who knows what will happen to me in that time. Umm…so, in that case, I've a favour to ask of you." Tana turned a bit red at this, twirling a lock of blue hair with her free hand.

The suspense was deafening and when the rest of the sentence actually came forth, Marisa spit out the water she luckily, wasn't drinking.

"Marisa, is it too much of a bother to….carry me back to camp…?"

It was no problem really. Marisa was, by far, stronger and half a head taller, and would be able to support Tana's weight. However, despite all that, Marisa was frozen with shock, nearly speechless. "Y-y-you've already made up your mind, Princess, so there's n-no point in m-my a-arguing..." Surprisingly, Marisa's face almost blended in with her hair, a strange sight indeed. After the swordsmaster regained her composure, no more conversation was made as Marisa moved to pick up Tana, her hands quaking uncontrollably.

* * *

Yawning, Amelia stepped out of the empty medical tent, stretching her limbs as she basked in the midday sun. Out of the blue, she winced at the pain that jolted through her cranium. Brushing her blonde locks out of the way, she felt for the swaddle of bandages, feeling the sticky red substance stain her hands, she cursed. It was a hell of a time for L'Arachel to run off in the name of justice and peace, leaving the medical tent unattended… Putting that aside, the lancer had unknowingly found herself standing guard with the pointed end of her broken lance, slumped outside the tent, scanning the horizon for signs of life, or L'Arachel. Pressing a hand to her bleeding temple, Amelia wracked her brain for a way to stop the incessant buzzing in her ears, as well as the horrible pounding that felt like Gerik and Garcia tap dancing in her head.

Neimi! Yes, she had been gone for a while now, off to find water to clean Amelia's wound, but that had been nearly an hour ago. By the time the Gradonian had her hands coated with her own blood, she decided it was time to ransack the tent for any medical supplies. Luckily there were. Vaguely on the topic of missing people, Amelia wondered where the other healer was, Natasha, was it..?

Amelia's thought process had been thoroughly smashed into the ground as she spotted a figure in the distance. At first, she had almost had a heart attack at the prospect of an enemy soldier come to attack her in her current state of being, but as they came closer, she was able to analyze the situation.

Walking into the makeshift base was Marisa, bathed in all her bloody glory, and in her arms lay Tana, seemingly lifeless, but at a second glance, was seen talking animatedly with, or actually at Marisa, who seemed almost as uncomfortable as she usually did around Tana.

With her good arm slung around Marisa's neck for support, Tana cradled the broken one in her lap, looking up at her rescuer as they got closer and closer to the tent. The princess' legs were hoisted up, Marisa's arm holding up the two appendages, placing her hands carefully as to not cause the princess any further discomfort. Unfortunately for Marisa, as Tana happily chatted away, her arms had become terribly numb during the hour and a half walk from where Tana was brought down.

Throughout the whole journey, Achaeus had trotted behind his master at a slow pace.

In all fairness, Amelia thought the scene was quite strange. She knew those two were close, but not exactly _that_ close. Looking more closely, Amelia figured they looked like a knight and his princess, with the bonds of undying love tying them together. With that notion in her head, the blonde lancer sighed. She had faintly wished that her relationship with Franz was like that. On the other hand, it was quite unnerving to be jealous of the bond between two women…

Amelia was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts as Marisa's stoic and unusually tired voice broke through her mind's expanse. "Amelia…would you mind helping me since you're staring pointlessly at us anyways…?" The blonde shook off her daze as she stared up at Marisa, wincing at the impatient expression plastered on the swordsmaster's delicate features.

"O-Oh, my apologies. I guess I've been staring out into space too much…" Amelia got up at that, moving to assist Marisa with her burden. They both took one side as they acted as the princess' crutches, supporting her into the medical tent.

Seeing as no one was around, Marisa used the best of her knowledge to try and fix up Tana's wounds. First looking at Tana's horribly twisted arm, she said only one sentence that brought tears to Tana's eyes. "We'll have to set the bone back into place."

The Frelian princess screamed at the mention of setting her arm, having broken the same arm in her childhood years…. "Please, Marisa, I-I'm fine! It's not as bad as it seems. When L'Arachel returns, I'll have her fix it up for me!" Desperation filled Tana's voice, her melodic tone suddenly becoming frantic.

Seeing the princess in such a state brought Marisa to reluctantly think out her actions. That pleading face just begged her to just leave her alone, to spare her the horrible pain. Another voice spoke up in her mind, the voice of reason. If it was for the sake of Princess Tana to recover faster, she would do anything. It was her duty, her desire, to protect her charge. She eyed that arm. The color wasn't looking so healthy…and that amount of damage just shouldn't be left to sit for a while like that. Crossing her arms, she put up her defences as she stated with the straightest tone she could manage, "I'm afraid if your arm isn't treated immediately, it will get worse. You may not even be able to use it anymore."

Marisa's bluntness hit Tana smack in the face. It was so succinct, precise, and so…Marisa-like, with no sugar coated truths at all. It was frankly quite frightening. As a matter of fact…her arm didn't really look that good. It seemed discoloured and any sensation she had in that arm left a while ago. However, even with Marisa's cold, hard evidence, the princess stayed her resolve to wait for the troubadour to return. She decided it would be the least painful and the least bothersome way. The Pegasus knight crossed her arms as best she could around her chest, refusing to let Marisa do as she wished. "No."

Marisa looked puzzled. "No?"

"Yes, no. I don't want you to fix my arm. I want to wait for L'Arachel, or at least one of the healers to come back first." Tana spit the phrases out without even thinking. It did seem quite cold, the tone she used with her rescuer, her saviour, her-

Tana was abruptly cut off as Marisa donned an expression that looked remotely like an impatient scowl. "I assure you, princess Tana, that I will take any measures I see fit to make sure your well being is top priority. I will count to three." Tana's sapphire eyes widened in shock, that Marisa had actually said what she'd said. It was strange to hear those words, but for as long as she had known Marisa, the swordsmaster had never taken anything without her usual seriousness.

"One."

Tana stood abruptly, ignoring the insane throbbing she felt along her right calf. As Marisa started advancing on Tana, they circled around the cots as the swordsmaster struggled to corner the princess. Tana darted around, trying to feint left and right as best she could to try and dodge Marisa's attempts. "Marisa, stop this will you? I'm fine. I said I don't need your help!"

"**Two**."

She swore she almost heard the swordswoman snarl as she said, "Princess Tana, please, this is for your own benefit. Who knows when L'Arachel will be back?" If Tana didn't know better, Marisa was certainly going to break any minute now. The swordsmaster followed the peg knight's movements like a mirror, rounding the edge of the cots, chasing the Frelian noble in circles.

Tana bit her lip in frustration. Marisa wasn't going to let up. That determined look in her amethyst eyes were blazing with fiery willpower. Second thoughts began to plague the princess as she wondered if going through all this trouble would be worth it to avoid a couple minutes of pain. That arm wasn't looking any better anyways… Purple is not a very pretty color for an arm.

Now faced off in the middle with naught but a mere cot separating hunter from the hunted, Marisa gave her final warnings. "It's your last chance, Princess Tana. If you don't surrender of your own free will, I'll have no choice but to force you to succumb to me. "

Tana scoffed as the swordsmaster moved forward. The princess backed away cautiously from her assailant, not wanting to go through such an awful process of twisting her bone back in place. As Tana moved back, she hadn't noticed the roll of bandages lying haphazardly by her feet. Fortunately for her, Marisa did notice.

"Tana! Watch out for that-"

As Marisa moved forward again, Tana stepped back, right onto the roll of fresh bindings. The blue haired woman didn't become conscious of what was under her feet until she slipped backwards, a sharp gasp escaping her lips.

The speed of the Crimson Flash was like nothing to be reckoned with. In a split second, Marisa mounted the cot between them and grabbed hold of Tana's good hand as she pulled herself under the princess in an attempt to shield her from the brunt of the fall.

In those few precious moments, it was like horrible fate had acted on its own.

A pregnant silence reigned through the medical tent. Marisa lay on the cold floor, her eyes dilated in shook at the feel of warm supple lips that were pressed to her own. Pinned under the Pegasus knight, Marisa was unable to move, her entire body paralyzed with shock, fear and embarrassment.

The uncomfortable tension that filled the tent was broken when L'Arachel stepped through the tent flaps cheerily; not noticing the two sprawled on the ground. "I, L'Arachel, have returned from my successful monster slaying journey!" At this, Tana scrambled to her feet, her cheeks coloured beet red. As soon as her weight was lifted and their lips parted, Marisa sprinted away, a hand covering her mouth as she hastily excused herself, a heavy crimson tinting her tear stained cheeks.

Tana called after her friend, but her voice fell on deaf ears as Marisa disappeared into the distance. L'Arachel only looked on with perplexed amusement as she wondered what happened between the two. Sighing deeply, Tana brushed away the impending tears as she turned to L'Arachel with a sugary smile, with a request for the healer to mend her broken arm.

Later that night, as Tana lay on her cot, alone and cold, she couldn't help but feel that she was at fault for everything. If only she had just let Marisa have her way… everything would have been fine. The Marisa she saw today was not the Marisa she knew. She wouldn't have run away from the situation like that…without clearing things up either. It was only a kiss…just a kiss… A kiss, a simple lip lock with no meaning, so why was Marisa so bothered by it…? She hadn't returned either, and that brought Tana to wonder if their friendship had suffered an irreparable damage. She could never live with herself if that certainly was the case…

With a myriad of thoughts and feelings swirling in the princess' head, she tried to take her mind off her pink haired companion, but the emptiness of the cot kept bringing her back to the events that had conspired that afternoon. Her soft, pink lips were just so unforgettable, her innocent expression, incomparable. If only she hadn't gotten up and let her captive run free, maybe she could have taken her lips once again.


	3. A Shadow of Things to Come

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay…for those who have thankfully been waiting for this chapter. Sadly enough, I have had a little bit of trouble going on with this, but for those who want to see the ending, please give me your support! Through reviews of course:D

**Warning: **Transition chapter ahead…DX

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**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 3**

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She swore that she would protect the princess Tana from all harm, from anything that posed a threat, but she never imagined that she, herself would be the greatest obstacle.

There was a reason they all called her the Crimson Flash. She was one of the fastest, the stealthiest and the most ruthless mercenaries ever, cutting through her targets as if they were thin pieces of paper. Now, as she tiptoed silently through camp, she wondered where her swordsman's honor had gone. Her objective was simple and clear. To get into bed. Without Tana noticing.

She sighed heavily as she darted through the rows of darkened and silent tents. The distraught girl cursed herself, her lack of self control and her pure material selfishness. Her father had molded her into the perfect swordsman, the perfect soldier, but now, it seems like that mold had shattered just like her resolve. In naught but a month's time, she crossed the line, gone beyond salvation and had fallen hard. With her deprivation of human affection, she secretly craved it, wanted it and lusted for it. Gerik had never been the answer. After a trying and short relationship with her chief, she just ended up more confused. Their kisses were rough and deep, and seemed hollow, without the commitment, and the warmth. Her mind shifted suddenly, her cheeks flaring a bright red.

_As their lips touched, she gasped in __shock; her magenta eyes snapped wide open. Tana's lips were so soft, supple and oh so warm. Marisa felt rigid upon their happenstance kiss, but her body leaned into it, her mind urged to take it further. L'Arachel's entrance ruined the moment, and just as well, since Marisa's hands were starting to get restless, just inches away from committing a serious mistake. As the Pegasus knight sprung up to greet the flamboyant troubadour, the swordswoman took the chance to get herself together and bolted. With a hurried apology and a flushed face, she ran, ran faster than she ever could. Confusion swirled in her mind and sudden waterworks started. It was the first time the Crimson Flash had cried in ten years, and it was over a girl. She had kissed Tana, and enjoyed every second of it. _

Mentally disposing of that fateful encounter of their lips, she pressed on, getting back to the task at hand. Their tent came into view and Marisa paused and took a deep breath. It was now or never. She ran away from her fears, hoping to clear her mind before facing her friend again, but it was strange. Being alone didn't give her the solace she needed, not anymore. The silence and the empty echo in her mind greeted her callously. She was lonely and Tana seemed to be the only cure. Swallowing her doubt and giving into her desires, she parted the tent flaps, letting the dim moonlight spill into their Spartan single cotted living quarters. Marisa just stood in the entrance way. Her eyes immediately sought out and landed on the figure lying with her back to the doorway. Her deep and steady breathing calmed Marisa's nerves instantly, bringing her to her senses. She convinced herself that her feelings were just a phase, nothing more. They were the best of friends and nothing would ever change that.

Leaning her sword against the tent entrance, she took one last look at the sleeping princess, and stuck with her decision. Kicking her boots aside, she pulled off her blouse and skirt, laying them next to the armor Tana removed earlier. Furtively climbing over the slumbering blunette, Marisa slipped under the covers, wrapping her arms around Tana securely, her right hand gently caressing those incredibly silky raven tresses. Staring into Tana's serene features, she stroked her cheek, thankful that the princess of Frelia was such a heavy sleeper. As she drifted off to sleep, Marisa felt Tana snuggle closer to her as she muttered her name tenderly. _'Marisa…' _

The swordswoman smiled to herself, content with the way things were now. Nothing could go wrong.

* * *

"Tana!"

A cry came from outside and hurried footsteps approached the tent. Tana mumbled something about five more minutes. The princess nestled deeper into the sheets, practically hiding from the sun's rays.

"TANA!"

The irate male voice cried out again. Groaning in annoyance, Tana hugged her personal pillow tighter. It was just so warm and soft that she couldn't abandon the comfort of this luxury to answer an early morning caller. Burying her face into the curves of her pillow…she realized that pillows don't usually have curves. Just as surprisingly, she realized that pillows don't usually have that nice peppermint fragrance that a certain pink haired swordswoman carried. Sleepily, she wondered what Marisa would taste like.

Pausing, she thought to herself. She knew what the swordswoman tasted like. They locked lips yesterday and that's when Marisa ran off without a word.

Her eyes opened abruptly, wanting to dispel all possibilities of having dreamt of her friend's presence. Detaching herself slightly from the fluffy '_pillows_' she buried herself in, Tana smiled as she caught sight of Marisa's brilliant pink locks and her peaceful expression. Her soft lips were parted slightly, her breathing deep, but all the while, strangely shallow. Grinning lopsidedly, Tana continued to stare at her sleeping comrade, wondering how the most ruthless mercenary in Jehanna could look so innocent while sleeping.

"TANA, IF YOU DON'T COME OUT HERE RIGHT THIS MOMENT, I'M GOING TO DRAG YOU OUT MYSELF"

Tana winced. There could be no one with a temper that bad this early in the morning. Marisa stirred, gathering Tana tighter within her grasp. The princess blushed. She could spend the whole day in bed, but the ugly reality was waking up Eirika's tiny army as she just lay there. Frowning, she tried to twist her way out of Marisa's protective hold without waking the sleeping beauty, but alas, if the incessant yelling didn't wake her, the ever alert Crimson Flash, her daring escape plan should. Marisa twitched at the sudden movement Tana made. Her eyes fluttered open, bemused pink orbs looking into soft blue ones.

"Morning." Tana beamed at Marisa, resisting the urge to ask about her whereabouts up until this morning. If the mercenary wasn't aware of the annoying banshee screaming his head off outside their tent, she must have been extremely exhausted. The old Marisa would have woken at the drop of a pin.

"G-Good m-morning, Princess Tana." As usual, Marisa blushed as Tana exercised control over the shy swordswoman. Silence filled the air as they both lay there in complete tranquility, just basking in the comfort of each other's presence.

"AS YOUR BROTHER AND THE PRINCE OF FRELIA, I ORDER YOU TO COME OUT THIS INSTANCE!!"

Wincing again, Tana sighed. He wasn't going to give up. She smiled apologetically at Marisa for the noise. It was up to the Princess of Frelia to ensure that people were going to get proper sleep. Much to her dismay, she asked Marisa to do one little thing to allow her to save her fellow soldiers. "Umm…Marisa, I'm sorry about this, but I need to quiet down our morning visitor before he wakes up the entire camp. I'm not sure fighting would be a very good option for 50 grumpy and tired people?"

Marisa nodded. It was then that she realized where her hands had been for the past few hours. Usually she woke in the early hours of the morn to destroy all the evidence that pointed towards the fact that she was, indeed, a cuddler. Not turning red in the face for once, the mercenary tried a different tactic. "My apologies, Princess." Her voice was void of emotion, though inside, she was fuming at her inability to cover her tracks well enough. What ever would Tana think of her now?

Marisa released her hold, letting her hands linger on the small of Tana's back, the warmth running up the length of her arms. At last, she withdrew completely, sitting up tiredly as Tana stood, stretching. Combing a hand through her loose strands, she took three steps and poked her head out through the tent flaps, a huge smile on her face. "Oh, good morning, Brother dearest!!"

Marisa sat on the cot dumbly, rubbing her eyes and regretting the decision to have snuck around so late last night. It seemed that the Crimson Flash had a limit too, like _most_ normal people. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes again. The covers pooled at her waist as she sat there, staring into nothingness, idly toying with her tussled locks as she half heartedly listened to Tana's conversation with her brother. Marisa narrowed her eyes for a second. There was something about Tana's brother she didn't' like. Maybe it was the stick he always had up his ass.

Innes stood at the entranceway, stunned, his jaw swung open like a broken door. She actually came out… Oh, how he wished he'd rephrased that request somehow. "T-Tana! You will not p-present yourself this way! It is unbefitting of a princess to do so! Put on some clothes, please!" Innes feebly attempted to look away, his sister's head poked out between the burlap opening, but as did a good portion of her generous bust. Though covered in a lacey design, Innes couldn't help but feel hot under the collar as he stared uncomfortably.

Tana scoffed, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest, stepping out even more as she addressed her uptight brother. "With that matter aside, I just want to know. What do you want?"

"Get back in there!" He pushed his sister's half dressed figure back into the safety of the tent, his eyes darting around nervously. "W-Well, I think there's something wrong with Eirika. She's troubled and I'm worried for her, so will you please pay her a visit?" The prince's grey-green eyes pleaded with his sister, his temper finally in check.

Tana sighed. Lately, Eirika hadn't been concentrated on things too well, her head always up in the clouds these days. It was harder to make her smile like she used to. "I will, but this is not for you, but for Eirika. I love Eirika." Marisa's ears perked up at this and she froze, her fingers still tangled in her pink strands. Tana continued on after taking a short breath. "She's my best friend. Of course I'd be willing to help her in her time of need. It's just that damn habit of hers to bottle everything up inside…" The peg knight looked sympathetic, maybe even guilty, wanting to alleviate the pain her childhood friend was going through without her knowing.

Innes nodded. "Thank you. Go get changed and I'll show you where their tent is."

Tana smiled at her brother. "Sure, I'll be out in a minute." She said. As she ducked back into the tent, she could see the silhouette of his tall figure, a quiver of arrows and an elegant bow strung over his back. His sigh ran deeper than his frown lines and his foot tapped faster than a horse's hooves. Tana scoffed. He really was a big softy sometimes

Marisa un-paused her actions as she spied Tana re-entering the tent. Still combing through her wild mane, she tried to act as stoic and indifferent as she always did. Something pricked her brain. Remembering Tana's promise, she voiced her concerns, albeit a bit colder than she intended. "I thought we were going to spar today." There was a hint of accusation laced in her monotonous voice, inner turmoil flickering behind those flaming magenta eyes.

"I'm sorry Marisa, but I'm sure it will only take a while. We'll have enough time after to spar for a while, maybe even go into town to do a little bit of re-supplying? The troupe's heading out tomorrow afternoon anyways, so if we don't make it today, we could always take a stab at it before the next battle." Tana said this off handedly while pulling on her skirt and buttoning up her blouse.

The silence was deafening. Something was amiss in Marisa's attitude, but Tana carefully dismissed the awkward feeling, picking up her light flying armor. Slipping it on, she called for assistance as she couldn't quite reach the clasp on her back. "Marisa, could you help me with this please? I can't reach the buckle." There was no answer, but the mercenary got up all the same, walked over to the other girl and securely fastened the pieces of thin metal. "Thanks."

Once again, the princess was greeted with nothing but silence.

Usually, there would be a faint blush, a 'it's nothing' or even a grunt of acknowledgement, but now, there was only silence. The two stood there, the tension mounting between them.

Tana was genuinely afraid. Had she said something wrong? Marisa was not easy to please, but nor was she easy to send off the edge like this. With her back still turned, Tana's voice almost trembled as she asked. "M-Marisa. Is…there something wrong? You seem uneasy. If anything's wrong… please tell me." Concern dripped off the ends of Tana's words and she waited for the swordswoman's reply. Temporary relief washed over her as she finally received an answer.

"I'm sorry. It's nothing. I was just preoccupied with my thoughts."

It sounded distant and cold, but it was it was at least a reply, an acknowledgement, and an apology. For Tana, that was enough. She could truly confront the swordsmaster later today, but right now, Eirika was her top priority. The princess could hear the rustle of clothing as Marisa got dressed as well, the silence becoming a bit more bearable.

Tana exited first, waiting outside as Marisa finished up some things. Innes meet her at the door, a strange look on his face. "I heard voices. Is someone in there with you?" There was suspicion and apprehension in his body language, not only in his tone of voice. It nearly made the princess bubble over with frustration.

"Yes. There is someone who I share the tent with. And here _she_ comes!" As if on cue, Marisa stepped out of the tent; her customary aloofness was set in her expression. "Brother, this is Marisa."

The prince's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He was in clear shock. "Marisa? The Crimson Flash? From Gerik's band of mercenaries?"

Without batting an eyelash, Marisa replied detachedly. "The one and only. If you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to."

As Marisa turned to leave, a hand shot out. The mercenary's eyes bristled with irritation, but softened at the familiarity of the touch. She turned her head, facing Tana, her eyes questioning the princess' thoughts. Tana bit her lip. She knew she was walking on thin ice here, but she wanted to hold off the enmity until Eirika's problem was resolved. The Pegasus knight knew how hard it was to find Marisa when she set her mind on not being found. "Marisa, please, I want you to come with me. I promise I'll be done in a few short minutes, just wait for me." She asked pleadingly with Marisa, wondering if her heart was closed completely at the moment.

Innes looked on, waiting for Marisa's reply as well. His eyes darted suspiciously between the two. There was something about the both of them, the atmosphere they created that made him feel uneasy. What was really going on between his sister and the deadly Crimson Flash anyways?

"Fine."

Tana smiled at her response and dragged Marisa along, her fingers intertwined in the swordswoman's. The princess' emotions were infectious and Marisa couldn't help but crack a weak grin, willing to forget this morning's hostilities for the princess' sake. Her vibrant rose locks whipping in the wind behind them as they walked quickly, Marisa mentally thanked the heavens that the morning couldn't have took a turn for the worse. It was a miracle yesterday's incident hadn't reared its ugly head. It would have made the situation worse. It really was the best to forget it. It was, after all, for the sake of their friendship, and her own sanity.

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	4. Temptation

**Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 4

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**Temptation

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Tana strained under Marisa's weight, the swordswoman was leaning heavily on her shoulder for some much needed support. Together, they trudged along the dusty path, leaving a trail as fresh blood dripped profusely from Marisa's wounds. The Crimson Flash faltered, grunting in pain as she stumbled, but Tana kept a firm hold on her friend.

"Marisa, hang in there. We'll be there any minute now!" The blue haired princess said this, her voice steady and confident, but inside, her heart was shaking with furious anxiety. If they hadn't taken that shortcut she suggested, none of this would have happened. Sure, cutting through the dark, secluded forest was much faster, but it came with dangers that lurked behind the every tree. It had happened so quickly that not even Marisa had enough time to react. They had been surrounded in mere seconds, swords pointed at them, demands quickly made. Tana shivered at the thought, the fear rushing back into her heart as she thought back to what was only half an hour ago.

_Tana could feel Marisa tense immediately, her hand gripping at her side the sword that wasn't there. It really was a bad idea in the end to travel unarmed when there were such scoundrels on the prowl. _

_A man stepped forward, grinning widely to show all his crooked and grimy teeth__ as he spoke. His voice was hoarse and raspy, which grated against Tana's ears unpleasantly. "My, my... What a pair of lovely ladies we have 'ere… This is much more rewarding than the petty gold we've been stealin' all day, eh?" A chorus of agreement and evil sniggering erupted, leers and hungry glares directed at the two women. "So, boys, which o' these two ladies 'ere would ya like?"_

_Cries from the small crowd rang out, all anything but__ decent._

"_Oi! That pink haired one looks a bit feisty! __Might be fun!" The man that came with that comment sneered wickedly; his mind surely was dirtier than the depths of a moat. _

_Marisa stayed calm, her eyes darting about, trying to find an escape route. One of her gloved hands gripped Tana's in hers, ready to tug her away in any direction. Before the Crimson Flash completed her daring escape, something shoved her over the cliff of tolerance._

"_That blue haired wench sure looks tasty… How I'd love to make her scream and __cry all night long…hehe…" The man who said this approached Tana, a lecherous expression plastered on his face, his hand outstretched towards the Pegasus knight. "Now, why don't you come with me, girlie…"_

_A slight movement startled Tana as Marisa suddenly appeared in front of her, already halfway into her strike. __The man flew a couple feet and landed hard on the ground, the resounding snap of his neck was unmistakable_

_Uproar broke out as swords were unsheathed and axes hefted up, ready to fight. Marisa quickly downed the nearest bandit, pilfering his sword and tossing it lightly to Tana, who caught it with ease. The scene was a bloodbath afterwards, as Marisa got a hold of a rusty blade for herself, dancing among the ranks with unparalleled grace and finesse. Two axmen cornered her against a tree, hoping to take her head off in a tandem swing, but as the brutes made their move, Marisa ducked, gutting one of the men like a fish, and breaking the other's jaw with the heel of her steel toed boot. Almost immediately, without any time to recoil, three more men came at her, their swords giving her shallow cuts as they grazed her. _

_Heads rolled and blood sloshed across the forest floor as Marisa struggled to fend off the mob that came after her. Parrying and blocking constantly, the wave of attacks increased, raining down on the Crimson Flash from all sides. She inhaled deeply, propelling herself backwards a couple meters to gain some headway as she got into an offensive stance. _

_Abruptly, t__he air seemed to have frozen, a cold shroud falling onto the clearing, blanketing the woodland in a strange aura. The only one unfazed was the Crimson Flash. She had a steady hand on her sword, her eyes darting about in the dense fog that had mysteriously rolled in. Even with her sharp eyes, Marisa couldn't make heads or tails of anything, but her ears picked up a faint movement from her right… _

_Something burst out of the fog, and would've bowled the swordsmaster right onto the floor if it wasn't for her lightening__ fast reflexes. It had disappeared into the fog again, but Marisa could feel it, feel it watching her. Shortly after, it was at a distance but she could sense that it was going to make its move any time now. She strained to concentrate despite the blood curdling screams that echoed throughout the woods. She could almost hear the blood spurting onto the ground, the carnage being strewn into the air, and all manner of blood and flesh marring the forest's natural beauty. Another thought invaded her mind and her focus slipped away entirely now. There was no sign of the princess anywhere, and in this damning fog, everything could go wrong. _

"_Marisa!" _

_The heavy anxiety weighing on Marisa's heart lifted as the blue haired princess __came into the swordsmaster's view. A subtle smile lit up Marisa's face and she moved to call out to Tana, until she felt an impending dread hanging in the air. It was then that she saw it. Arcane markings were appearing on the ground below the oblivious princess, sparking and sizzling dangerously. "TANA!" Without thinking, the mercenary rushed over, and pushed the princess roughly aside before the spell was completed. Tana was out of harm's reach, but unfortunately, the swordswoman caught the full brunt of the attack. A searing pain ran up Marisa's spine. It seemed like her entire body was burning, melting away with such an intense heat. It seared into her flesh and bone, causing the mercenary to double over in agony. Marisa could feel the coppery fluid rising in her throat, filling her mouth and trickling down her chin._

_Marisa got to her feet shakily, Tana rushing to her side to support her. __"Why did you do that? Have you forgotten? I specialize in magic resistance! I would have taken the blow much better that you! I don't need your protection. I'm not that weak, you know…" The princess' eyes brimmed with tears as she clutched Marisa tightly. _

_Despite the dire situation they were in, Marisa enveloped Tana in a brief hug, soothing the now sobbing girl. "It's ok, Tana... Everything's going to be alright. Let's just get out of here." They couldn't win now, not in the state they she was in. They had no choice but to retreat. The swordsmaster straightened up, ignoring the deep cut on her back, the profuse bleeding that seemed to be coming from her every orifice and the scorching cold and hot that rushed through her veins. They set off towards the town, the town that lay just on the horizon. _

Marisa was getting colder. Tana felt the iciness seep through her clothes and she quickened her step as much as Marisa would allow her to. If her restless heart had to endure anymore it was surely going to break. The thought of Marisa's self sacrifice brought tears to Tana's eyes, knowing that it could have been avoided… Sniffling, Tana promised herself that if Marisa got through this, she would tell her. She would tell her everything if she got another chance.

* * *

"If she going to be okay?!" Tana could barely sit still in her seat; her hands were constantly wringing the hem of her skirt impatiently.

The priest smiled warmly at the Frelian Princess. "Your friend will be fine. She's got a strong will and I'm sure she'll be up and about any minute now! Oh, but you have to be careful. Her wounds were deep, so aggravating it could cause them to reopen. She sure was hit with some strong dark force…"

The waterworks were switched on again as tears of joy spilled down Tana's cheeks. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

The old bishop left, leaving the two alone in the inn room. Just as the old man predicted, Marisa was coming to, her eyes fluttering open, weary pink meeting Tana's overjoyed countenance. "Tana…?"

"Yes, it's me, Marisa! How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere? Is there any way I can help you? I could fetch you some supper? Or maybe help you change into some clean clothes? If you're cold, I could get you another-" Tana was just about to get up, but a hand shot out and held her back.

"Princess Tana…It's fine. I don't need anything." Tana looked skeptical, but the look in Marisa's eyes told her that the swordsmaster didn't want any help.

"But, Marisa…your clothes are all bloodstained and ragged… There's a change of clothing here anyways…." Tana brought the neatly folded pile over, her blue eyes begging Marisa to consider the offer.

The swordsmaster sat up carefully and accepted the clean garments. She just managed to get one arm out of her shirt sleeve when she let out a sharp cry of pain.

"Marisa!" Tana was on her feet in an instant, wondering how she could possibly help her friend in need.

"I-I just…have some trouble…undressing…I can't raise my arms too high or else the wounds will reopen…" Marisa looked off to one side, avoiding Tana's scrutinizing gaze. "I was wondering…if you would…" The mercenary trailed off, hanging her head, letting her hair obscure her face.

"Marisa? I'm sorry…I didn't catch that last part…could you repeat that?" The princess' grave expression melted as a wide grin spread across her face. It may have been a trick of the light, but Tana was sure she saw that cute pink tinge grace Marisa's fair features.

Marisa took a deep breath and gave it her all.

"Help me….undress…." Marisa had nearly buried her face underneath the covers at this point, her pride as a swordswoman, as a mercenary, and as the Crimson Flash…was gone.

Tana was in stitches by now. It was priceless to hear the Crimson Flash speak those words, though something more obscene came to mind… Her face suddenly burned bright red as she wondered what it would be like if Marisa had said those words under much different circumstances…

"Tana…?"

"Oh!" Tana looked up, dispelling her dirty thoughts. She helped Marisa pull the blood soaked shirt up and over her head. The princess' hands brushed lightly against the swordsmaster's bare sides, eliciting an involuntary moan as she did so. A glint of malevolence shone in Tana's eyes and she deliberately made her actions slower, pretending to accidentally sweep her hands against the mercenary's sensitive skin. After a ridiculously long period of time, Tana had finished replacing Marisa's stained blouse with a clean one.

"T-Tana…Why are you taking so long...I-I'm feeling a little bit dizzy, so could you speed up your actions a bit?" Marisa's face was flushed red, her voice a little hoarse and breathless. In spite of the utterly guilty pleasure she felt, she had to put a stop to this, right?

The devilish princess smirked, putting on an innocent smile. "But, I'm afraid any sudden movement will reopen your wounds! You don't want that do you? That's why I'm being this careful."

Marisa sighed, defeated. There was no way she could tell Tana that her actions were causing her heart to race, her pulse to quicken, and her temperature to rise. She was getting awfully uncomfortable now, but on the other hand, the princess Tana was just getting started, kneeling down as she moved to take off Marisa's long stockings and short skirt. She ran her delicate hands along the expanse of those long toned legs, pulling them down ever so slowly, taking heed of the various cuts and bruises that her pale legs adorned. Tana could hear Marisa swallow hard, as the princess' hands started to tug on her skirt.

Marisa stood abruptly, her eyes darting around nervously. "Princess Tana! I-I'll be fine now. I don't want to inconvenience you any longer. Please, I want you to get some rest. It will be a long way back to the encampment tomorrow morning."

"Whatever you say Marisa…but I rally don't want you to aggravate your wounds again. Please…just let me finish up. It will just take a minute." Tana smiled sweetly, advancing on Marisa like a wildcat would a harmless rabbit.

Marisa had regained her cold professionalism, taking charge of the situation the best way she knew how. It was time to retreat. "I assure you, I'll be fine. Please don't trouble yourself over me, Princess. If you don't mind, I'll be excusing myself now." The swordswoman moved to the door, making a beeline for her discarded boots, but Tana efficiently blocked her path.

"Where do you think you're going? I am going to finish changing you and you are going to sleep. Here. With me." A feral expression overtook Tana's features and she closed in on her prey. Marisa backed up as Tana came closer, until she hit the edge of the bed. Without any effort at all, Tana pushed Marisa down on the mattress, pinning her down. "Now, where were we again?" Her hands pulled down the ragged skirt and she helped Marisa into a pair of plain white shorts, but she had her fun taunting the mercenary first of course… "There…that wasn't so bad now, was it?" Tana smiled again, a smile far too angelic for such a devilish person.

"A-As you say, Tana…When you've made up your mind, there's really no point in my arguing." Marisa said this quite reluctantly, grimacing. She turned her head, avoiding Tana's gaze and trying to hide the blush on her face. It was the signal of defeat for the Crimson Flash.

Tana stuck her tongue out childishly, licking her dry lips unconsciously. "I love it when you're so compliant, Marisa. Maybe now you'll be in the mood for dinner?" The princess made her way to the door, nearly running out before Marisa could protest.

Like a good injured person, Marisa lay in bed, waiting for Tana to return with the food she had no appetite for, but if Tana wanted her to eat some…she would do whatever the princess requested. As the mercenary lay there, she could still feel Tana's soft touches upon her skin, sending shivers up her spine, her sweet voice serenading her into submission. The sight of her supple, pink lips were irresistible, being so close, yet so far. It made her heart ache at the thought of the Pegasus knight. Even if Tana would accept her feelings, there was no way Marisa could let the princess ruin her own life like that, even though the waves of temptation were riding very high.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Tana was back with a tray in her hands. She sat down beside the mercenary and held out a spoonful of steaming beef stew. "Say 'Ah'!" Marisa sat up slowly and shyly accepted.

"Princess, aren't you going to eat any?" Marisa said this in between bites, concern leaking trough her ice cold façade oh so obviously.

In response, Tana scooped up another spoonful and put it in her mouth. The Pegasus knight continued to spoon feed the swordsmaster, alternating until the bowl was scraped clean. "Now, wasn't that filling?" Marisa nodded, quite satisfied with their meal.

Tana smiled at Marisa, but her expression changed as she leaned closer. "Oh…You have a little something on your cheek here…" Marisa expected the princess to reach a hand out, but instead, the princess' face came closer and closer. Marisa felt wetness on her cheeks as Tana licked off a stray drop of soup. The knight grinned sheepishly, pulling back only minutely, mere centimeters away from the panicking mercenary. It was now or never as this was the perfect opportunity to capture the princess' lips. Seconds passed and the two just stared at each other.

Finally, Tana moved away, turning around as she said. "It's getting late…I'm going to get ready for bed now." It might have been Marisa's ears, but Tana sounded disappointed and unexplainably dispirited. "You should-"

She was cut off abruptly as Marisa caught Tana's arm, spinning her around to face her. "I'm sorry about this, princess." Tana's eyes widened in shock as she found herself leaning into the kiss Marisa pressed upon her lips. The two fought for dominance, but apparently, the swordsmaster was the more experienced one, as she made the princess mewl in guilty pleasure. Fingers were knotted in each other's hair, pulling the other closer with fervent want as they kissed passionately in the empty inn room. Mimicking Tana's earlier move, Marisa pushed the Pegasus knight back against the bed. They finally parted after what seemed like an eternity, hearts racing, and gasping for breath.

Tana clung to Marisa, a large grin plastered on her face as she struggled to find her words. "W-what took you…so long! I d-demand an…apology!"

Marisa smiled lopsidedly, her chest heaving up and down with deep breaths. "Please forgive me…Tana. How shall I make it up to you…?"

The Pegasus knight sat down on the bed behind her, and pulled the mercenary down on top of her, causing Marisa to straddle Tana's petite waist. "Maybe…you can make up for all that lost time?" Tana purred like a cat, absently twirling a lock of magenta hair around her forefinger.

The swordswoman draped her arms around the princess' slender shoulders, smiling to herself. As she leaned in, she whispered into Tana's ear, sending pleasant shivers up Tana's spine. "As you wish, my princess…."

That night, the two of them spent very little time sleeping…

* * *

**A/N:** Again...I have no beta reader...

Sorry for such a crappy chapter… I just have a couple more to go. Hopefully I can hold up until then. Please review! And thank you very much for reading! If you thought it was kinda…corny and strange…too bad. I'm suffering from writer's block………


	5. Interlude

**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 5

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**Interlude**

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The rays of early dawn streamed through the window, stirring a very tired swordsmaster. Wanting to rest for a while longer, the mercenary cradled her pillow closer to her, but the other side of the bed was surprisingly empty. Her lavender eyes shot open and she abruptly sat up, but immediately regretted it as a dull pain shot through her bandaged abdomen. She gingerly put a hand to the disarray of bindings, feeling the roughness of the caked and dry blood splotched on her dressings. Marisa sighed as she surveyed the mess she left. The covers were splotched with her blood, and the mattress…was beyond recognization. Maybe she shouldn't have partaken in such strenuous activities in her prior state.

Sitting up with the blanket pooling at her bare waist, she stripped off her stained bandages, dumping them on the hardwood floor. Throwing the covers aside, Marisa looked around the small room. Her clothes were no longer strewn across the floor haphazardly, but folded neatly on the nightstand beside the bed. She smiled at Tana's small gesture as she pulled her clothing on hastily, to only look forward to the silence that continued to be her company. Flopping back on the bed, Marisa leaned back against the headboard, glancing at the door in question to Tana's absence. Many things ran through the swordsmaster's head, confusing her beyond belief. She wondered if Tana had really meant those words she had said amidst their throes of passion.

'_I love you…'_

Those three words brought a whole different type of dilemma to the swordsmaster. She loved the princess and the princess loved her, but what they had done was frowned upon by the church and rejected by society in general. Only chaos would break loose if Tana's family found out. She would be disowned, dishonored and stripped of her royal heritage. Marisa couldn't let such a thing happen, but it was too late to go back to being just friends. And it would be nothing but torture to resist her inner demons any further.

Suddenly, the door opened and Marisa was jostled out of her thoughts. Tana strode in, fully dressed in tunic and armor as she carried in a steaming hot cup of tea.

"Good morning, Marisa!" Enthusiasm radiated off Tana's countenance, her voice dripping with sweetness. She had the widest grin Marisa had ever seen on her face as she walked over to the bed and placed the cup on the bedside dresser. The mercenary had not even a second to reply before Tana had leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, gentle kiss. Marisa leaned into it, pressing on the small of Tana's back to bring them closer as she tenderly parted Tana's lips, making the princess purr with delight.

The two parted much later, with red faces and a lightheaded feeling. Tana straddled the swordsmaster, letting her hands wander further and further-

"Tana. What are you doing?" Marisa asked, her voice on the verge of cracking. If not for her self control, she would have given into Tana's blatant advances, her sensual touches…

"What does it look like I'm doing?" The princess grinned devilishly at this, brushing closer against the mercenary.

"We have to get back to the encampment. There's a carriage headed towards that direction. It'll be leaving soon..." The princess' hands were certainly not where they were supposed to be, making Marisa shiver with a guilty pleasure. "W-we won't have enough time…" The swordswoman was pushed to her limits, her control gradually slipping away as she swallowed the last bit of her dignity.

"Of course we'll have time. Do you not trust me?" Tana's big blue eyes stared up at Marisa, a pleading expression, melting the ice around the mercenary's heart. Unfortunately for Tana, Marisa was more strong willed than she seemed.

"No." The mercenary said this with assurance, with commitment, with resolution, with-

"But, Marisa…once we get back, we won't have any time to ourselves. This is a war after all. We'll be occupied with other things…" Tana's eyes flickered with deviousness as she watched Marisa's reaction.

It seemed like there was a myriad of confusion, of horror, and of agreement in Marisa's expression. ""I guess there's no arguing with you, princess…." The Crimson Flash had caved in, as she leaned in to ravage Tana's lips once more.

An hour later, Marisa and Tana bolted out of the inn, their buttons askew, their faces flushed, and their hair disheveled. They ran hurriedly to the town's entrance, where they glimpsed a carriage…disappearing over the horizon line. Tana, huffing and puffing, doubled over, trying to catch her breath. Marisa, on the other hand, just stood there massaging her temples. Shaking her head, she said, "We'll have to walk."

"O-ok. L-let's get g-going then…" Tana said this, a bit exasperated from running from one end of town to the other in naught but 2 minutes. Peering over at Marisa, she wondered how the mercenary could still be so…not exhausted after running a kilometer in such a short amount of time. It seemed, that wounded or not, Marisa could carry on, performing superhuman feats without any degree of effort at all, as she always managed to do. Recovering slightly from her hyperventilating, Tana followed Marisa on the dusty path, until she let out a pained cry.

"Ah!" Tana stumbled, but Marisa was at her side in an instant, supporting her.

"Princess Tana, what's wrong?" Marisa's fine brows were furrowed in concern, her hold was possessive and protective.

"Ah…I think it's my ankle…I twisted it when we ran." Tana winced as she prodded her ankle lightly. A light gleamed in Tana's inquisitive blue eyes and she put on her sweetest tone. "I don't think I can walk. Would you carry me, Marisa?"

Marisa gently laid Tana on the ground, winding her arms underneath her knees and arms as she swung the princess up into a bridal style carry. Having done this before, Marisa was confident that she would be able to handle it better this time, since her arms had been well rested. Not like that day…when she had just finished dispatching a mob of heroes and warriors before she took on the task of carrying Princess Tana all the way across the battlefield. No wonder she had lost all sensation in her arms for half the day.

Tana was surprised by Marisa's actions. The knight had expected the swordswoman to refuse or put up some resistance at the very least, but Tana was in no position to contest as Marisa started down the road. Looking up at Marisa with skeptical eyes, the Pegasus knight wondered what had gotten into the stoic mercenary. "Hey…Marisa, I never thought you would be so compliant... What's with the change of heart?"

Marisa smiled her rare smile, her callous eyes softened as she looked at Tana lovingly. "I thought it would be more comfortable for you this way, but I wouldn't refuse a request from you, anyhow."

Tana grew red in the face, completely awestruck. She would have swooned if she were standing upright. From then on, she decided that she would specifically order Marisa to smile more. Coupled with that sweet look, Marisa's smile single handedly stole the words from the talkative princess' mouth.

"Is something wrong, Tana?" Marisa looked worried, as Tana had blushed so heavily, her face a bright red. Not to mention the fact that she was staring at Marisa, her mouth formed a perfect 'O'.

The Pegasus knight recovered immediately, smiling sheepishly as she closed her gaping mouth. "Oh, it's nothing! I was just thinking about how beautiful your smile is…"

Now, it was Marisa's turn to blush, as her cheeks turned a slight pink. "W-what are you saying, princess?"

"I really love your smile, Marisa. You should really smile more." Tana happily stated her thoughts.

"Tethys did say it would make me more sociable, but it's hard keeping a smile on my face all the time, so I only smile for you, Princess Tana." Marisa avoided Tana's lovestruck gaze as she said this.

Tana was battered down with another bout of temporary speechlessness. She never knew Marisa was such a romantic…even if it was unintentional. "Well, I'm glad for that, Marisa. And there's another thing you would do for only me, right?"

"Yes?"

"Kiss me." Tana wrapped her arms around Marisa's neck; smoldering sapphire eyes dominating the princess' sweet features.

Tana grinned lopsidely as Marisa smiled once more, whispering sultrily. "As you wish, my princess." The mercenary stilled her steps as she leaned downwards and fulfilled her princess' wishes on the deserted pathway.

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**A/N:** A short chapter, but I promise the next one will be longer. Chapter 6 will jump ahead a bit in the plot, but it's too tiresome to go through the game chapter by chapter…


	6. Disarray

**A/N: **Strange chapter…but I hope you enjoy it! I have been quite busy with schoolwork and such, so I'm sorry if the plotline seems a bit rushed, lame, or lacking in any aspect.

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**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 6

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**Disarray

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Footsteps echoed across the corridor as hard leather met stone tiles, a pink blur disappearing down the pitch black hallway. Dim light broke as she surfaced. The figure paused before she darted out the Black Temple's entrance. The decaying vines that crawled along the mouth of the stone structure stretched out, trying to ensnare the swordsmaster, but it seemed like she barely drew her sword when the monster vegetation lay writhing on the floor in pieces, shrieking like banshees.

She looked back for nary a second.

Her body was on autopilot as her legs carried her across the carcass covered plains, her destination sat right upon the horizon, the dark forest whistling eerily in the distance, welcoming her into its menacing depths.

She urged her legs to go faster and urged her body to be more compliant despite the wounds that covered her from head to toe. Every step she took, the feeling of dread in her heart weighed down on her.

It was just a few minutes ago that news came of Gilliam's death, along with the disappearance of Princess Tana. The very prospect in itself was unspeakable, driving the mercenary to unfathomable denial, seeking out the truth for herself, but her instincts had told her very clearly that hoping was quickly waning. She banished those thoughts abruptly; telling herself that Tana was stronger than that, her tenacity to live, unparalleled. However, as she approached the mass of mangled trees and grass, a sharp sensation bore into her from the inside out. It was as if someone had just wrenched a lance tip into her heart, digging it deeper and deeper until it was ripped out of her, a bottomless hole taking its place.

She had no time to recoil from her inner turmoil as something moved and the swordsmaster caught it in the corner of her eye. Her reactions kicked in and she ducked out of the way as a giant axe slammed into the ground, leaving a gaping trench in the forest floor. The mercenary's blood boiled as yet another obstacle stood in her path. Drawing her sword, she waited, watching the Cyclops with wary eyes. The gigantic creature roared, its cry pealing through the woods, and it hefted up its enormous axe, bringing it down in one full swing. The Crimson Flash laughed humorlessly at the monstrosity's pure lack of style and common sense as she found nearly a dozen openings in that move alone. Nevertheless, she gripped her sword tightly as she charged in, her inhuman speed was incomprehensible as she rounded the back of the monster, and mounted it in one step, thrusting her blade into the back of its skull, almost shattering it on impact. The swordswoman then pulled the blade out and propelled herself off the toppling corpse. Before the body hit the ground, she had already vanished into the trees.

After scouring the land for nearly an hour, panic overwhelmed the swordsmaster. The deeper and deeper she went, the more unlikely it seemed for things to be looking on the bright side. Helplessness was rising within her, but she had to continue on. Suddenly, she stopped. A blood stained white caught her eye and she walked over to the wrangled tree it hung from. The pink haired mercenary just stood there, staring.

It was Achaeus, Tana's most beloved Pegasus.

She was far beyond frantic now; her cool composure was completely forgotten as desperation gripped her. The swordswoman knew she would attract some unwanted attention, but all the same, she took a deep breath and yelled for Tana to answer her, where ever she might be.

It was then that her keen eyes spied a mess of raven blue hair in the distance, on the ground. Relief and worry propelled her forward, but fear of what she was going to find held her back.

As she got closer and closer, her steps became more uncertain, and she called out in a small voice. "Tana…Tana…?"

There was no reply, no sign of life as the mercenary got closer, meter by meter. Her breath began coming in short gasps, her heart thumping hard against her chest, the blood pulsing in her ears.

Her next breath caught in her throat as she stood next to Tana. Upon witnessing the gore and death about the Princess, the mercenary paled and she prepared herself for the worst. Her rose colored eyes glazed over as she glanced upon the princess' lifeless body. She had been rent in half with a single swing, what used to be her waist was now nothing more than a mess of blood and bone. The swordsmaster's knees unexpectedly buckled, and she collapsed in a heap of capitulation, fixated on those comatose blue eyes that seemed to be staring at her, blaming her for this untimely demise.

A scream tore from the swordsmaster's throat as she felt her soul shatter into a million pieces.

* * *

Her eyes snapped open abruptly, her chest heaved up and down with shallow breaths. She sat up, throwing the sheets aside that were damp with the cold sweat the layered her slender frame. Her quick strides brought her across the lavish room and to the large window. The curtains were hurriedly pushed aside, and the glass panes parted to let in the cold, brisk air. A sigh of relief punctuated the quiet room as the fresh air cleared her mind. Tana's mangled corpse haunted her mind, the images burned into her memory.

Leaning on the window sill, she glanced upon the castle turrets, the fields that stretched out below, and the magnificent sunrise that crept over the horizon. These reminders of the present soothed her consciousness, reassuring her that her dream was really just that. A dream. It had been the fourth time this week; the never-ending nightmares plagued her sleep, replaying over and over again in her mind. Her imagination seemed to run wild with mere possibilities, exaggerating them to the extreme. It appeared to be a staying reminder for the swordswoman of her mistakes, the mistakes that told her she was only human.

She still remembered every word they exchanged that day that led to such precarious circumstances. Their argument had driven them apart and clouded their senses with emotion, resulting in the princess' grave injuries. Thankfully, unlike her dream, Princess Tana had escaped with only a scar that marred her pale skin.

Guilt consumed Marisa and she broke out of her thoughts, undressing quickly as she threw on the uniform of the royal guard, Frelia's crest emblazoned on the blouse. Grabbing her shamshir, she walked out the door, her footsteps echoing in the near-empty hall.

Stares from the sentries on duty bore into her back; their whispers making her ears twitch with annoyance. Word of a foreigner who had immediately been appointed as the princess' personal guard had spread around Frelia castle, but the Crimson Flash had been rarely sighted in her three weeks of being an officer. Ignoring the offhanded comments and the halt of conversation as she passed by, Marisa made her way to the floor above her, biding her time slowly, until her hands stopped shaking.

She stopped in front of a pair of double doors, pausing to smooth out her magenta locks before she fished a key out of her pocket and inserted it slowly in the lock. As it clicked open, she snuck in, locking the door behind her. The mercenary propped her blade up against the wall and kicked off her boots, stealing towards the large featherbed that sat off to the side. The sparse rays of dawn streamed in through the windows, illuminating the dim room. The mercenary slipped under the thin covers, her arms snaking around her victim's waist, drawing her close as she nestled against her back.

Tana tensed and let out an inaudible gasp of surprise at the sudden intrusion, but relaxed as she felt sensed that familiar warmth encompass her. The princess smiled, wanting to play a trick on her assailant. As Tana had found out a couple of week ago, the swordsmaster was the most talkative when she was asleep, carrying on countless conversations with the sleeping Tana. This time, she would catch the mercenary in the act.

Marisa let her hands wander as she cradled Tana close, inhaling the sweet scent of her, and basking in the princess' mere presence. She let her cold hands slip under the princess' blouse, tracing the jagged, white scar that stretched across the Tana's taut stomach. Marisa whispered softly into Tana's ear, her voice so sweet and soft, uncharacteristic of the cold Crimson Flash. "I'm so sorry, Tana. I love you too much to see you in such pain...Even one drop of your blood would cause me despair."

"What are you apologizing for?"

The mercenary reddened to the tips of her ears, but was thankful that Tana faced the opposite direction. "I thought you were sleeping." Her monotonous tone was back, but embarrassment hide behind her mask.

"How can I sleep when someone's touching me like that…?" Tana's flirtatious tone made Marisa shake her head in shame, wondering how the princess could make everything sound so subjective. As Tana turned around in the swordswoman's embrace, Marisa was beginning to feel less guilty for waking her at such an early hour.

"Princess…I was doing nothing of the sort." Marisa absently played with a lock of Tana's raven hair as she tried to look innocent.

"Well, would you like to change that…?" The princess said this in a sultry voice, but destroyed the atmosphere as she giggled at Marisa's fleeting caresses.

Suddenly, Marisa regained her senses, trying to redeem her integrity. "My apologies, I've forgotten myself. I'm only here to visit you. I- have to get going now." Marisa stilled her actions and moved to get up, but Tana shot a hand out and pulled the swordsmaster back down with her.

"Hm, yes, I'm sure that was your intention…" Tana looked skeptical. "But, I don't think crawling into bed with me was a very good idea." Tana wore an annoyed expression, as she got up on her knees and straddled the speechless Marisa. "Now you've made my skin all sensitive…Don't expect that you'll be leaving any time soon…"

"I'm afraid we'll be heard…Princess Tana. Please rethink this." Marisa's pleas fell upon deaf ears; the princess had already made up her mind. Tana grinned as she delved in, planting a trail of soft kisses along the nape of Marisa's neck. The mercenary arched into the touch, moaning as she melted at Tana's hands once again, cursing herself for her lack of self control. It was her, after all, who suggested they sleep in different rooms, but enforcing that rule was like restricting Joshua from his gambling.

Entirely impossible.

An hour later, Marisa emerged from the princess' chambers, her hair tussled, and her cheeks flushed. Not to mention the slight limp she walked with, evidence that she had just undergone a painfully pleasurable experience. Walking over to the large glass panes across from Tana's room, she leaned on the sill, taking in the scene of the already ready risen sun, its warmth spilling through in streams. All her prior qualms had been forgotten, stored deep within her thoughts, the princess' presence had driven away her apparitions.

"Marisa! Sorry for making you wait like this!" Tana's singsong voice greeted the mercenary's ears, and a bear hug accompanied it, nearly knocking her flat against the wall. With her arms wrapped around Marisa's neck, Tana buried her face affectionately into her rose colored mane.

The swordswoman gently pried the princess' fingers off, turning around to face Tana with a bittersweet expression. "Princess, please remember our agreement. To the public…I am nothing but your servant."

Tana pouted, but nodded nonetheless, settling for a loose hand hold as she dragged her personal attendant to the great hall for some early breakfast.

-----

Later that afternoon, as the sun shone and the birds sung their delightful songs, Tana and Marisa snuck out of the castle, leaving Innes to scurry around without his sister's help. The two found a small clearing in the woods, where they got right down to business, hoping that no one would come across them.

"Put your guard up!" The swordswoman commanded. Marisa lunged faster, the tip of her sword darting back and forth as Tana hastily parried the quick strokes. The clashing of metal against metal echoed through the deserted woodland, Tana's predominant cries and yells of effort and surprise mixed into sound of the fray. After exchanging a few more glancing blows, the mercenary abruptly alleviated her barrage of attacks, withdrawing to let the princess catch her breath.

"T-This…i-is…t-too h-hard…Why c-can't I-I j-just practice with my…lance?" Tana nearly fell back onto the lush, green grass, her breathing heavy and her face glistened with sweat.

"Tana. A sword is far easier to come across than a lance. It'll be to your benefit if you master it." Marisa's automatic response irked the princess, but she knew that the swordswoman spoke the truth.

"Then can we take a break soon? I'm tiring out very quickly…I wish I had a bit more sleep this morning…" Tana yawned as if to emphasize her point, rubbing the weariness from her eyes.

The mercenary flushed a faint pink at that, knowing that it was entirely her fault the princess was sleep deprived, so she offered to even up the trade. "Fine. We'll stop for today if you can land one blow on me this match." Marisa said this with all seriousness, flipping her hair back as she held out her blade and took her stance.

With the new incentive, Tana fuelled herself on, forgetting that in the span of their sparring days; she had never been able to lay a finger on the Crimson Flash. "Here I come!" With that, the Pegasus knight darted forward, trying to incorporate the skills that Marisa had spent the last two hours teaching her.

The two danced across the grassy knoll, their footwork graceful and fluid, their exchanges clean cut. Tana struggled a bit to keep up with Marisa's pace, but the mercenary smirked at her with daring amusement, teasing the princess as she seemingly floated around on her feet.

In a moment, it was like the tempo had picked up, as Marisa switched to the offensive, pushing Tana further and further back, the princess' defense was lacking. It was a case of déjà vu as Tana let out a cry and proceeded to tumble backwards onto the forest floor. The princess' sword went flying in another direction as it lodged itself in a tree, and her partner cast away her own blade as she braced the impact for her princess.

Silence filled the small clearing as the two lay there, Tana lying on top of the bruised mercenary. The Pegasus knight got on her hands and knees, but made no motion to get up. In that pregnant quiet, Tana just stared into the mercenary's flaming pink orbs, her chest heaving up and down as she took in deep breaths. Slowly, a wide grin spread across the princess' features. "That was fun. We should do this more often."

"Yes…we should." Marisa smirked. "It's a wonder how you always manage to trip over something…"

Tana's breathing got shallower as she leaned in closer, her cheeks colored a bright red. "I guess I don't mind…because you're always there to catch me…"

Their lips were mere centimeters apart, their breaths trembling as they closed their eyes, pulling themselves closer-until a sound startled them both and they sprung away from each other. Footsteps were coming closer, the crunching of leaves and dry twigs cut through the still afternoon.

It was then that a man appeared in the clearing, poking his head out from behind a tree. "Is everything alri-" In naught but mere seconds, the stranger felt an abrupt coldness at his throat, Marisa's held a menacing dagger against his neck, pressing it none too gently into his skin. A strangled plea for help barely escaped his throat, coming out as a hoarse whisper. As the mercenary was about to subdue the man further, Tana suddenly spoke up.

"Geoffrey? Is that you?"

The man in Marisa's hold managed to wheeze out a couple of 'yes's, and at once, the swordswoman let go of her victim. "Princess, do you know this man?"

Tana's expression seemed to be debating something, but in the end, she gave a simple, "Yes."

After he finished coughing and hacking on the forest floor, Geoffrey got up shakily, dusting off his fine clothing. He combed back his unruly brown hair, and straightened his doublet, fixing his white collar. There was no doubt he was a man from high society. After making himself somewhat presentable again, he immediately rushed over to Tana, grabbing her hands in his gloved ones, kneeling down on one knee. "I heard sounds of a battle from this end and I rushed here to investigate it. Only gracious Latona could have granted me this blessing! Oh, Tana, how I've missed you during the time you were away at war. You left without telling me, even knocking me out so that you could escape… But now you've returned, I am by your side once again!" He gently pulled off Tana's glove, and pressed his lips to her bare hand. Behind the noble, Marisa was silently fuming, clenching and unclenching her fists idly.

Tana looked confused; her face flushed a deep pink. She half heartedly tried to wrench her hands from his grasp, but he had a strong grip. "Geoffrey? W-what are you doing here? I thought you were off in Rausten to study politics and whatnot…"

"I was! But when I heard of your arrival, I came here with post haste, wanting to see your beautiful face again." He got up off his knees, grasping the princess' hand tightly as he advanced. Tana backed away from the man trying to get out of his hold, but instead, pinned herself between a tree and her pursuer. He was leaning in, his lips puckered, his hands cupping her face.

Tana squeezed her eyes shut, squirming to get free, but her hands had been secured quite forcibly. Suddenly, all that pressure was lifted and she opened her eyes to see Marisa holding Geoffrey in a malicious headlock, her knee digging painfully into his back. The man struggled and flailed, but knew he was at a disadvantage from the start. Without a notion of reputation, he screamed for help, his pathetic cries stirring something up within Frelia's princess.

"Marisa, please stop!"

Instantly, Geoffrey's airway became unobstructed as the mercenary quickly retreated. He doubled over; wheezing as he gingerly massaged his throat. To the side, Marisa's eyes were aflame, burning with anger as she confronted Tana.

"Why did you stop me? He violated your privacy and posed a threat to you. I had no choice but to restrain him with any means necessary." Her voice was dripping with venomous fury; her emotions had broken loose, her calm was lost.

"I understand your intentions, but you went too far! You might have seriously injured him!" Tana was livid; her clear blue eyes were clouded with anger, her fists balled up tightly.

The mercenary was taken aback by the princess' demeanor, jealousy settling in as she felt betrayed. "Who is he, Tana? Who is he to you?" Marisa's voice had dropped below a whisper, but the intensity in her voice was all the same, laced with bitter resentment.

"He's just a friend! A childhood friend from before I met Eirika." The princess' tone cooled down, her eyes now begging her friend to understand that there was nothing between her and Geoffrey.

"I-" Marisa was suddenly cut off as the nobleman's son slowly got to his feet, interrupting their private conversation.

"I-I must say…I beg to differ! Tana is my betrothed, my fiancée!" He laughed airily, disregarding the small _mistake_. "This was decided at the beginning of the war, when Tana so conveniently ran to the battlefield before the deal was drawn to a close."

All was quiet, both of the young women were speechless, Tana was agape with shock, and it was as if all time stopped for the mercenary. Outside, her calm façade stayed up, but her mind erupted with anger, with disgust and her heart ached, willing this to be a simple jest, a mere nightmare.

The haughty brunette marched up to Marisa, a nasty sneer on his face as he confronted his assailant. "And I'll have you know, that if a mere servant like you dares to lay another finger me, the son of Lord Conrad, the duke of North Caeberlin, I will have your head."

That was the last bit of tolerance the mercenary held, and before she knew it, she had her hand in a fist, and pulled her arm back. It was only a second after that she felt the stinging sensation spread across her bleeding knuckles. She scoffed at the sight of him clutching his broken nose, his face dripping with blood, his skin quickly turning black and blue.

Without a backwards glance, she took off into the trees, her blood boiling, her heart racing.

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	7. Jealousy

**A/N:** This is a short chapter, but please bear with me, as exams are breathing down my neck... I promise you that chapter 8 will be more action filled and lengthy :D Please read and review!

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**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter ****7

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**Jealousy

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Tana slumped against the fountain in the courtyard, aching with fatigue, her voice hoarse from yelling for a certain someone to come out. The sun hung high in the sky, nearing its peak. By now, the entire castle would have heard of Tana's adventures, how she had spent nearly an hour screaming in the courtyard, down the halls and so on and so forth. However, despite popular belief among castle servants, the Princess had not gone mad. She was simply irate over the fact that her personal guard had disappeared from her sight. That left her with no protection from the bane of her existence, a strange man called Geoffrey who had rudely interrupted her life. Now, she was stuck with him for the afternoon.

"My, my…Tana…you should really put a stop to your fool attempts to draw that woman out of hiding. She's clearly been shown her place." The uptight man crossed his across his chest, sticking his heavily bandaged nose high into the air.

Tana paid no heed to her hindrance as she continued her search throughout the castle. She had searched all of Marisa's favourite spots. There was the apple orchard out back, the balconies on the third floor, and the turrets above the main gate. Wait…she was missing one. Suddenly, she knew where her target was as she dashed off, leaving her 'fiancé' to critique the size of the garden ornaments. The princess leapt up the stairs three at a time and bent over panting and wheezing when she reached the top of the north tower. She walked over to the edge, poking her head out as she looked up at the roof. Surely enough, Marisa sat precariously on the red shingles, her legs crossed, her chin propped up on her hand. She stared out into the countryside, a sour look on her face.

"T-there…you…are….ahem-" Tana could barely get the words out as her throat was sore and dry from its overuse. Still, she gestured frantically with her hands for the swordswoman to get down.

Sighing, Marisa complied as she swung herself in from the veranda type ceiling, landing gracefully on her feet. "Was there…something you needed, Princess Tana?"

"I-I-w-wan…ha...ahem-" The princess' mouth was moving, but nothing intelligible came out, only the sounds of hoarse grating and coughing escaped her throat.

Though the swordsmaster was clearly sulking, the amusing scene brought a wide smile to her lips and soon, as Tana continued to try and communicate, Marisa's laughter filled the tower. It was clear and bell-like, something Tana didn't get to hear often, which was sad in itself. Walking over to the literally speechless princess, Marisa looked her in the eyes, smiling widely. "You. Are going to do what I want today. There are no objections I hope?"

Tana waved her hands around wildly, trying to tell Marisa that she indeed had some objections. However, the mercenary decided to be cruel today as she feigned ignorance. "What's that, your highness? I'm sorry…I didn't catch that. That was a yes wasn't it?"

More squeaks from Tana.

"Yes, I'd gladly do that for you." Before Tana could complain any further, Marisa had her pinned up against the stone wall, her lips pressed aggressively to the princess'. Marisa's crimson eyes burned with fervour as she nibbled on Tana's lower lip, making the princess moan with pleasure.

Tana could tell that something was off with Marisa today, but she wasn't complaining, not when the consequences had _these_ kinds of drawbacks.

Then, she could feel Marisa's nimble fingers pull at the clasps of her skirt, her other hand inching under the folds of her top. The alarm bells went off at this point, because she knew that whenever things got this heated, that they would end up having…well you get the point... Considering the location, it didn't seem to be very considerate. Especially when the Pegasus knight bruised easily. Pushing herself away from her hungry attacker, Tana clutched her shirt closed, pleading with Marisa to maybe…change their setting.

The princess' sign language was more than understandable, but something really seemed to be strange about Marisa today, as she decided that she was going to be a little bit selfish. Selfishness was something the selfless Marisa had never even contemplated. Until now that is. "Fine. We'll do that _after_ we're finished here."

Tana paled as she spotted the feral look in her lover's eyes and swallowed. Hard.

Since that particular tower was rarely occupied and since the pair was so high up, no one heard Tana's mixed cries of pain, pleasure and help.

Three hours later, bruised, tired, and completely worn out, Tana descended the stairs dishevelled, alone, and without Marisa. The princess' guard had apparently felt more comfortable up on the tower and refused to come down until things didn't seem so chaotic down on earth anymore.

"S-stupid…Marisa…" Tana had finally gotten her voice back, although her throat was still sore from screaming for help and amongst other things…

Avoiding Geoffrey by hiding behind pillars, doors and people on the way to the castle's third floor, Tana reached her room. Opening the door and locking it behind her, she then collapsed onto her featherbed mattress, sighing with relief. She rolled on her side, wincing as she did so. She lay there, resting peacefully until she heard the faint click as one of her large windows swung open. Tana didn't even have enough energy or enthusiasm to roll over to see who had intruded on her haven.

"I'm sorry."

That sweet sultry voice floated past her ear, playing softly against her skin as a second later, she felt the swordswoman's slender body sidle up against her back, wrapping her arms gently around the princess' waist.

"Hmm…Marisa…" Tana's words slurred out as she closed her eyes, purring gently as the mercenary gently stroked her long raven locks.

"I'm sorry about earlier…Did I hurt you anywhere…?" Marisa nestled closer to the princess, caressing her cheek tenderly.

"Why don't you see for yourself….?" Tana rolled over to face Marisa, staring into unfathomable pools of lavender.

Marisa sat Tana up as she slowly peeled off the garments of clothes she hungrily tore off only hours prior. Stricken with deep guilt, the swordsmaster kissed each mark softly, making Tana gasp with contentment. "I'm so sorry, my princess…"

Giggling as Marisa had kissed her a little too lightly and a little too fleetingly, Tana grinned lazily as she reached out to cup Marisa's reddening cheeks. "Despite the pain…today was worth it."

With that, the princess drifted off to sleep, her face a portrait of serenity. Gently tucking the sleeping beauty in, Marisa just watched as Tana's breaths slowly made her chest rise and fall, and how her perfect lips were parted slightly as she slept.

The swordsmaster passed the time in her thoughts and when the sun had sunken into the horizon, when night time had fallen upon Frelia, two sharp raps came at the door, a pompous voice echoing out. "Tana! Tana, I need to speak with you! Tis' I, Geoffrey, your love!"

Marisa sneered in disgust, getting up quickly as she padded noiselessly to the door, careful not to wake the slumbering princess. She nearly ripped the door open as she came face to face with the annoying lord and his black-blue face. "What is it that you wish to speak to the princess about?" She stared callously at him, her air of authority and intimidation flattened his ego but a bit.

"I need to speak with the princess. Where is she?" He seemed anxious, trying to push his way past the slender woman in front of him.

A gloved hand pushed back on his chest and the man was surprised at how much force the general put into that slight action. Despite her sleight stature, the swordswoman was not one to be reckoned with. "You do not set foot in her chambers without her permission. The princess is feeling ill at the moment and is resting. Please address her with your concerns at some other time if you will."

Just as Marisa was going to slam the door in his face, Geoffrey held it open, a glare in his black coal eyes. "I don't know if you think you can get away with speaking to me like this just because you are Princess Tana's attendant, but I promise you that if you cause me anymore trouble, I will have you stripped of your position and power."

The swordswoman almost laughed, and she scoffed at his words. "I care not about power or position. You certainly don't know who I am if you believe you can make idle threats. Just stay away from me and the princess. If you want to keep your life, please do not cause us anymore trouble. You are nothing but an eyesore."

Then door closed, leaving Geoffrey outside to recover from the shock and Marisa retreated back into the room as she undressed herself and climbed in next to the slumbering princess. As the mercenary slept, jealousy coursed through her veins, fabricating strange dreams that were simply not suited to her character. However, these human emotions affected the stoic woman in ways she couldn't possibly comprehend.


	8. A Bright Spring Day

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A/N: **This chapter contains some scenes that may not be appropriate for all ages. Viewer discretion is advised XD. A.K.A. this is why I'm changing the rating from T to M. Just to be safe. 

As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter and review if you liked it.

Warning: Not properly proofread...oh and also...there are some suggetive matters mid way...

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**The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter 8

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**On a Bright Spring Day

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Melodious song birds filled the sky, a brilliant atmosphere permeating through the castle orchard as the sun shone brightly upon it. Frelia's princess could almost feel the gentle breeze caressing her long ponytail, and the warmth of the spring sun… If only she weren't stuck inside like a recluse, she could have actually been enjoying the nice day instead of sitting inside one of the castle's many musty rooms.

She sighed as she laid her head on the desk_. 'The things that come with being a princess…mountains of paperwork…' _

Since she had skipped out on her duties for the past few weeks, she would have to repay that twofold, which meant that she was confined to the castle until everything was filled out. Twirling her quill absently, she wondered why her last few endeavors seemed much more endearing. Racking her mind for some sort of explanation, it finally clicked.

All those other times, Marisa had been her company, but now that she had abandoned ship per se, paperwork was oh so dull. Without the pink haired swordsmaster to urge her on, to provide incentives, and to take dictation, sitting in her rarely used study was far too lonely.

Abruptly, Tana shoved aside those pompous documents, pulling out a blank sheet of paper as she poised herself. Steadying her quill tip, she dipped it shallowly in the ink reserve. Slowly, but surely, she pressed quill to paper and features started to appear. A face, eyes, nose, mouth… Before she knew it, princess Tana had drawn a picture with a perfect likeness of the person who just refused to stop running through her mind.

The Pegasus knight grinned idiotically at her hand drawn portrait, priding herself in her work as she silently thanked her father for hiring an artist to show her the ropes of painting and drawing so long ago. With a slender finger, Tana traced the contours of Marisa's perfect face, running over her striking eyes and small lips...

Oh how she wished the swordsmaster were here, how she wished that she could drown in those fathomless pools of crimson, and taste the sweet taste of those soft lips…

"Tana!"

Unfortunately, it was someone else who came to her instead. All that wishful thinking really was not helpful.

The door burst open and in strode an obnoxious buffoon wearing clothes of high class.

Frantically, Tana scrambled to hide her drawing, which by now, had little hearts and flowers scribbled in the margins, Marisa's name written in the princess' elegant scrawl. By the time her self proclaimed 'fiancé' had reached her desk, she had piled a mountain of papers on top of her masterpiece, whistling innocently as she struggled to wipe a blush from her pale cheeks.

Thanks to Geoffrey's innate ability to pay attention to himself and only himself, he didn't even notice Tana's strange behavior. Instead, he smoothed back his hair as he stared down at the princess. "Tana. I wish to speak with you about our engagement party."

The words came out of her mouth before they even crossed her mind. "What?!" Surely, if the princess had been drinking water, it would be all over the nobleman by now.

"Why do you seem so surprised? It would have come up sooner or later." The man said it so such a matter-of-factly and Tana's mouth was still agape.

"Our engagement hasn't even been confirmed yet! My father made no such decision!" Before Tana knew it, her words spilled out, cutting through the air venomously as she slammed her hands down on her desk. Papers fluttered to the ground in a flurry as Tana's flaming blue eyes burned with indignation.

The brunette sneered as he procured a stack of documents from inside his doublet, holding them out for Tana to see. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. You see here…it's the King's royal seal. He's approved of our alliance."

Tana snatched the papers out of Geoffrey's hands, reading through the text herself to confirm the horrible news.

It was true. And her father had officially endorsed it with his distinctive seal.

"Anyhow. I refuse." The princess' curt response was all that greeted Geoffrey as she cast those ghastly manuscripts at his feet. She turned back to her work; a stony expression had replaced her usually cheerful one.

"_I only want what's best for you, since you are my only daughter…"_

'_Liar.' _Tana thought to herself as she recalled her father's words. The old man may have been suffering from a mild malady, but it surely wasn't grave enough to coerce him into make such a horrid mistake. Was it? Her distaste towards Geoffrey was more than pronounced, but-

"Pardon me? Princess Tana, are you certain of your decision?" One could almost hear the grating of the nobleman's teeth as he worded his sentences carefully. However, he received naught but deafening silence from the princess.

"Tana." His tone was firmer this time, a threatening edge to his voice. "I believe you are making a mistake here." Still, the princess paid heed only to the unfilled papers that sat before her.

"LISTEN TO ME!" His voice echoed throughout the room, still ringing in Tana's ears as she winced, her writing hand gripped in an equally intense hold.

"Ahh-" Tana let out a cry of pain as her wrist started to sting, her feeble attempts were just too ineffective since she was pinned to the desk by Geoffrey's brute strength.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Tana felt the pressure alleviate as Geoffrey moved away from her. The wooden doors swung open and in strode an authoritative figure. Tana sighed in relief, thankful for the woman's impeccable timing.

Long, silky cherry locks cascaded down, enshrouding the swordsmaster's delicate face as she bowed low at the waist. "My apologies, Princess Tana, but I feared for your safety when I heard a loud disturbance coming from your study."

Tana got up quickly, her quick strides taking her to the open door, her skirt swishing back and forth as she walked. Gesturing for her guard to rise, she reassured her, "No worries, Marisa. Please, just accompany me to the orchard."

"As you wish. I-"

The swordswoman was cut short as Geoffrey rudely interjected. "Excuse me, but our conversation was not yet over. I think it would be rude of you to walk out like this, Princess Tana."

"I'm sorry, but I believe that our conversation was over. Now, if you will excuse me." The irritated princess turned towards the door once again, her back towards her ever present obstacle.

"Wait just a second! What kind of manners are those? Princess-"

"Don't take another step."

It was Geoffrey's turn to be interrupted as Marisa stopped the man in his tracks, bringing about a sour look on his face. "Get out of my way, wench! Who do you think you are? First, you threaten me, and now you think you can tell me what to do? I will set you in your place! I challenge you to a sparring contest. I'll show you why you should follow orders."

"Fine." Marisa's monosyllabic response was simple, but as always, her calm demeanor and casual indifference was evident in her tone.

Meanwhile, by the door, Tana had caught wind of their conversation and had done a double take.

"In the main courtyard today at dusk. I will be the victor and you will be taught to fear me." Geoffrey said this haughtily as he pushed past the former mercenary to get through to the door.

After the minor disturbance had left, Marisa rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "It's been a while since I've had such a ridiculous offer. It reminds me of the days when I was arena champion." The officer smiled at that, reminiscent memories flooding back.

"Ahaha…that's nice, Marisa." Tana laughed nervously. She was shocked to find the swordsmaster so laid back about a duel that was due to take place in only but a few hours. "Just don't kill him, Marisa. You'll get into a bit of trouble if you do…"

The roseate swordsmaster chuckled as she nodded in confirmation. "No matter how much I would like to see his head rolling on the ground, I still know my limitations…" Strolling over to Tana's cluttered desk, Marisa sorted through the papers until she came upon a suspicious looking piece… "Tana…did you draw this…?"

"Huh? Draw…? What are you…Ah!" Abruptly, Tana rushed over and snatched the portrait from out of Marisa's hands. "Oh, haha…this is nothing!" She hid it behind her back, wringing it between her fidgeting hands.

"Did you really miss me that much?" Marisa smirked, wondering how the princess could possibly blush so cutely when she was mercilessly teased. Maybe…Marisa thought, she should tease the princess more often.

"I-I well…I…" Tana stammered, struggling to find the right words, but she couldn't possibly lie to Marisa. "Yes…I did miss you. I missed seeing your beautiful face…"

"Is that so? Well, that was a marvelous picture you drew. It held a striking resemblance to me. I hope you won't choose the picture over me, since it's far more stunning than I could ever be."

"What? Never! I love you! The real you! In person, your stunning beauty takes my breath away every time I lay eyes on you! Compared to anyone else, your gorgeous looks are unparalleled! You-mhhm!" Tana felt Marisa's lips claim her own as the swordsmaster delved deeper and deeper.

Finally, due to the undeniable need for oxygen, the two parted, panting heavily.

"Tana…I was just kidding…I never knew you would take that so seriously. You make me, the cold Crimson Flash, seem like the court jester…" Marisa smiled as she cupped Tana's cheek, stroking it tenderly.

"I-I wasn't aware that the 'cold Crimson Flash' was capable of being so good-natured…"The princess leaned into Marisa's touch, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Ever since I met you…many things have changed. Especially my of teasing a certain naive princess…" Again, Marisa smiled that devilish smile.

"Hmm…well, if you're in such a playful mood…would you mind…playing with me? I've been so lonely this whole day…" Tana pouted as she begged pleadingly with her big, blue eyes.

Wordlessly, the swordsmaster broke their embrace for the time being as she strode over to the two double doors, a slowly spreading grin upon her lips.

"Just let me lock the doors first."

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"Just one more kiss, please?" 

On the way to face Marisa's challenge, the two walked into a dark, secluded corridor, with many niches gouged out in the stonework. When…without warning, the shorter girl had pushed the taller one against the wall, her breath shallow, her eyes glistened with want.

"You certainly are a Princess who's hard to sate…Anyhow, we can't do this. What if someone sees us?" The swordswoman half heartedly tried to push the girl away, but she clung on tightly.

"I don't care if someone sees us…Just kiss me, please? I'm feeling strange today, Marisa…" With that, the princess stood on her tip toes as she leaned forward to capture the swordsmaster's full lips.

They stood there in a tight embrace, lips locked, moans of pleasure traveling down the fortunately empty hall. Getting caught up in the moment, Marisa's hands were getting a little too restless as she craved to feel Tana's soft creamy skin. Reversing positions, Marisa tactfully had Tana pressed up against the wall now, her hands caressing the princess' taut stomach. Then…they wandered further and further downwards, slipping under the hem of Tana's short skirt. Her hands ran up and down the expanse of the princess' legs, her fingers rubbing sinfully against her inner thighs.

"Ahh…Marisa…" Tana breathed in sharply at the contact, gripping Marisa's shoulders until her nails dug through the blouse and into the swordswoman's skin.

Marisa let out a moan as she felt the sharp pain in her shoulder. Breathing in shallowly, she bared her teeth as she bit down roughly on a sensitive spot on the princess' neck, suckling on her soft skin. Marisa got her desired result as Tana mewled in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

Just as the princess had wrapped her legs soundly against her lover's waist, the castle's clock chimed.

_Ding dong_

_Ding dong_

It continued to chime and chime, but Tana seemed to be too engrossed in her current activity to notice. However, Marisa, having very sharp senses, still noticed the foreboding clock chime even as she moaned and groaned at Tana's very experienced ministrations.

"I-I T-Tana…I-If I don't hurry…I-I'll be late…for the…Ah! The…duel…"

Smothering Marisa with a rough kiss, Tana snaked her arms around the swordsmaster's neck, bringing them closer to together. After they parted briefly, Tana managed to successfully compose her words. "I-I don't care…A-after you g-get my skin…all sensitive…like this…you have t-to take responsibility… It's y-your fault…I just wanted a kiss…It's you who stuck your hands up my skirt…"

As Marisa tried to clear her head, she found that Tana was right. It _was_ her who started it, and it would be quite unfair if she didn't carry it out…There was still half an hour until the promised time, and she could make it if she sprinted…right?

Surely enough, half an hour later, Marisa found herself running through the corridors at full speed as she tried to button up her shirt hastily and smooth out her skirt and disheveled locks. Her flawless cheeks were still stained with a red blush from the sin she had just committed in a random castle hallway, but it was certainly worth every moment.

The clock chimed again.

_Ding dong_

_Ding dong_

It was time.

Marisa's boots made contact with the floor only momentarily each time, her feet carrying her so quickly that it was as if she floated.

Finally, after crossing the expanse of the entire castle, she had reached the north gate, where the main courtyard was. However, the problem was that she was currently on the third floor and the stairs would take an infinite amount of time to descend. Peering over the edge of a turret, Marisa could clearly see Geoffrey standing in the courtyard, tapping his foot impatiently, a crowd of soldiers and servants forming a well sized ring around him. _'Three floors isn't that high. Just remember to tuck in your legs and roll for the landing.'_Marisa told herself. With that, she climbed on top of the stone turret, taking a deep breath as she took the plunge.

"The haughty Marisa is a coward! With her ignorant attitude, she claimed that she could beat me, but now, when it comes time to prove herself, she knows that she is no match for Geoffrey, the son of Lord Conrad, the duke of North Caeberlin! If she were not such a coward, she would be-"

A collective number of gasps suddenly dashed Geoffrey's well rehearsed speech as something or rather, someone jumped from the overlooking ramparts and rolled across the courtyard, a cloud of dirt kicking up.

As the dust settled, the crowd cheered as they saw the swordsmaster. Her flashy entrance was more than appreciated, as various onlookers sang her praises. As Marisa peered into the crowd, she realized that she had amassed a secret fan club of some sort, as most of them knew her by her reputation as a mercenary. Unfortunately for Geoffrey, he stood, confused, as the spectators cheered on the 'Crimson Flash'.

"Never mind all this phooey! Let us start the battle! Draw your sword, woman!" The nobleman hefted up his own blade, a broad longsword, as he took a corner of the ring, facing down the Crimson Flash.

"Very well, let us start." Marisa kept a hand on her hilt, another on the long body of her sheath. She gauged her opponent as they circled each other like vultures. The man had discarded his heavy riding clothes, and had settled for simple mercenary fatigues. The change of attire got Marisa thinking as she eyed his choice in clothing. It seemed awfully familiar. _'Maybe he took a job as a mercenary at one time…_' She thought to herself.

She was jostled out of her meanderings as Geoffrey moved in, brandishing his sword like a wild man. Simply sidestepping the attack sent him headlong into the ground. _'Or maybe my speculations were wrong…' _There was no way that a clumsy man like him would ever take part in the kill for hire business. He certainly was a disgrace to all swordsmen by simply holding that sword.

An incompetent wielder like him didn't deserve a sword of such high calibre.

"Gah! That was certainly underhanded! What kind of sportsmanship is that?" He growled as he got up off the ground, dusting off his garb.

Marisa thought to herself, '_This man is certainly some sort of comic…'_ She scoffed as she took her stance, one hand one her hilt, while other rested on her sheath. "Get up and fight like a real man. In a war, there is no sportsmanship, no rules. It's either you win or die."

"I know that! And you! Why aren't you drawing your sword? Fight seriously!" He again brandished his sword around very unswordsmanlike, eliciting a grimace from the Crimson Flash. "Come at me!"

Marisa sighed, wondering if she should indeed waste more time on such a pathetic excuse for a man. Musing to herself, she decided that she would try and restrain herself until Princess Tana arrived. Taking into mind her current…condition….it might be a while…

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	9. A Woman's Pride

**A/N: **Wow. I haven't even looked a this story for a while now ._. More than a year has passed, but I suddenly get the inspiration to write an entire chapter in one sitting, with minimal proofreading, so please bear with me. I might come back to proofread some stuff, but that's an indefinite maybe.

Btw, This chapter contains. Mature. Content. And yuri.

I hope you enjoy it! Please review!

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The Complications of Friendship**

**Chapter ****9

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**A Woman's Pride

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Tana finally made it to the courtyard, panting from all the running she just did. She really missed having Huey around…If only she could use him to fly around the castle, getting around wouldn't be much of a hassle any more. Taking a minute to catch her breath, the princess raised an eyebrow at the crowd that had gathered around the two fighters. The cheering was deafening, Marisa's name carried out through the cries.

Pushing her way through, she caught a ring side seat as she cheered on her dazzling knight in plain clothes. "Marisa! I know you can win! Just remember not to kill him!" She shouted into the enclosed area, smiling as she saw the mercenary's lips quirk up into a grin.

The swordsmaster held her sword loosely in one hand, sidestepping and dodging the man's clumsy strikes. She was starting to get bored of waiting for Tana, but now that the princess was here, her fun could finally start.

"Grahhhhh!!" Again, the clumsy noble ran headlong into the woman's path, a mad dash with sloppy movements. He was panting hard, his face dripping with sweat. The man wouldn't be able to stand much longer anyway.

Swiftly, the mercenary stepped to the side, bringing down the flat of the sword onto his unprotected back as he stumbled forward. He let out a cry from the impact, sprawling out onto the ground as his sword went flying a few meters forward.

"Do you…yield?" The tip of her sword grated against the skin on his neck, resting precariously over his Adam's apple.

As Geoffrey turned to look the woman in the eyes, he froze in his tracks as he felt her cold indifference pierce him through and through. He swallowed hard, nicking his skin on the razor sharp tip. "I-I will accept defeat…" His voice dropped below a whisper, but Marisa's ears caught wind of it.

"That is, perhaps the only wise choice you'll make in your life." With that, she turned, hearing the crowd's take up her name in a thunderous roar.

The nobleman seethed, grabbing fistfuls of dirt in his hand. "I will accept defeat…when I am good and dead!" With that, he lunged at the woman's turned back.

"Marisa, behind you!" Tana cried out along with the rest of the spectators, but they believed their warning was far too late. He was already behind her, reaching into his shirt as he unsheathed a dagger.

With her almost inhuman speed, Marisa spun around, her teeth bared, her sword poised to strike and kill.

As if he were trying to land a punch on the woman, Geoffrey swung out his left hand.

The swordsmaster raised an arm to block the blow, but could barely react when she realized what he was planning. A shower of sand came out of his outstretched palm, straight into her face. The grains of dirt and sand stung as they got into her eyes. She shut them, a reflex reaction from the burning sensation.

At that moment, she was blind and there was no way she could have done anything to stop the man as he thrust the blade deep into her side.

The crowd went deathly silent, Tana's sobs permeating the air. "M-Marisa!"

Geoffrey cackled as he pushed the knife deeper and deeper, staining the hilt and his hands a dark red. A steady stream of blood started to run down the mercenary's leg, blackening the golden sand.

"Hah…ha! I-I win! You stupid wench! You though you could win against me? Lord Geoff-" The man was sent flying as Marisa's fist connected with his face. His grip on the knife slacked and the weapon was left protruding from the swordsmaster.

Gritting her teeth, Marisa trudged over to the man on the ground, trying to get up as he clutched his face gingerly.

"S-sore loser, aren't you? Where's your warrior's honor or whatever nonsense you peasants follow? You-" He was knocked backwards as the pink haired woman lashed out and kicked him hard in the face.

Getting down on the ground, Marisa straddled the man, gripping his collar as she pulled him up to look at her. He whimpered, shutting his eyes. The blood was pouring profusely from his broken nose, the piece of cartilage twisted at such a horrid angle. "H-how can you still be moving?! I-I stabbed you!"

Marisa chuckled, but her laugh was devoid of humour, a sense of disgust overwhelming her. "I hate men like you. I hate all of you stuck up noblemen."

Tana watched from the sidelines, a hand held to her mouth, gaping wide in shock. She had never seen this side of the girl for so long, the demon that radiated such a terrifying aura, such a strong killing intent.

"I-It's only because you're not good enough. Your parents were probably poor, your father-gauh!" his head snapped back from the impact, his cheek bone cracking. The man let out a whimper, tears rolling down his dirt and blood streaked face.

"You…really are ignorant. Why don't you know when to stop?" She got off him, throwing him roughly to the ground as she scoffed. "I really don't have the time to waste on scum like you. Please. From now on, stay away from Princess Tana." She walked away, clutching the wound on her mid section, feeling the blood pushing against the steel blade. It was getting colder, her entire side was already dyed red.

"Marisa!" Tana dashed out into the ring, rushing to the woman's side.

"I'm fine." Marisa held out a hand to stop Tana from getting any closer. She glanced over to bloodied form on the ground, gesturing with her hand. "Get that man a healer. I might have done more damage than I planned to."

"You there! Fetch the royal healer and tell them to care for this man. The rest of you, continue on with your work. There's nothing more to see here." Tana barked orders as the men scurried around to get back to their posts.

"Marisa! Wait!" Tana chased after the mercenary, annoyed that she would be stubborn enough to refuse her help. "I need to get you to the infirmary now!"

Marisa just kept walking, trying to increase her pace as she leaned against the castle's stone walls for support. "It's okay. I can get there by myself." Her voice was cold, carrying the same indifferent tone as before.

"Just…let me help you…" Tana reached out, grabbing ahold of Marisa's arm.

For a moment, the pink haired girl paused, almost as if she were thinking. "I'll...get blood on your clothes if you come too close."

Tana looked over, seeing a rare blush on the girl's face. The initial reaction was shock, but then she let out a light chuckle. "Everything you do is just so unexpectedly adorable…That's what I love about you."

* * *

"Sister Cathy! How is she doing?" Tana rushed up to the healer, bombarding the woman with questions. "Will she be able to walk? Is there a scar? Is there-"

"Please calm down, Princess Tana!" The young brunette laughed nervously as she tried to calm the blue haired girl. "She's doing fine."

"Is she really? Can I see her?" Tana's eyes radiated with happiness, hardly able to contain her excitement.

"Yes, however, I must warn you. The wound was far too deep, so we were only able to repair the internal damage in such a short amount of time. A shallow gash is left, so we've bandaged it up for Miss Marisa. We've told her that any strenuous activity will reopen it, but Princess, I think she would be more obedient if you advised her of that."

Tana nodded enthusiastically. "Leave it to me Sister Cathy!" She dashed toward the room, but paused as she turned, yelling a thank you to the kind healer.

In the infirmary, the air smelled like blood and disinfectant, Geoffrey's body still being cared for on one of the vacant cots. Tana wandered around the fairly spacious room until she came to an area in the back corner. She could see a slender silhouette through the curtain and she recognized it immediately. Throwing the curtains aside, Tana suddenly stopped in her tracks when she saw Marisa standing there with an annoyed expression on her face.

It might have had something to do with the fact that she was in a revealing state of dress, clad only in her pink brassiere and the infirmary's neutral white panties.

"Tana." The mercenary turned around slightly, facing the wall.

"Y-yes?" The princess never liked that tone. Marisa only sounded like that when she was angry or irritated.

"Would you please close the curtain? I am changing my clothes here…or would you like to have the whole castle see my bare body?" Marisa turned, arching an eyebrow as she waited for Tana to draw the curtains.

"M-my apologies!" Hastily, Tana drew them closed, sighing.

For a minute, the two women were silent as Marisa pulled on the neutral skirt over her undergarments. The rustle of clothing and light breathing were the only things Tana could hear.

"How are you feeling…?" Tana moved closer to Marisa, who still had her back turned towards the princess.

"I'm…fine." Her tone was a dead monotone, but Tana could feel the contempt in her voice.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong…?" The princess sidled up behind the mercenary, winding her arms around her lover's waist gently, careful not to touch the bindings. She pressed herself against the girl's bare back, resting her chin on the girl's scarred shoulder. "I'm worried about you…" Tana pressed a kiss to Marisa's neck as she whispered softly in her ear.

"I-It's just these clothes…" Marisa leaned into the other girl's embrace, her voice regaining a bit of her usual placid expression. "The skirt's far too long and the colors are rather drab."

Tana giggled, pressing another kiss to Marisa's shoulder. "You're just too adorable. Besides, I think that skirt of yours is far too revealing in the first place…Makes the whole castle fantasize about you…"

"B-but it's true. And what are you saying Princess Tana…? I'm not…adorable…" Marisa was a bright red now, pouting all the while as Tana fawned over how 'adorable' she was. Were bloodthirsty mercenaries supposed to be…adorable?

"Ahn…just seeing you like this makes me…" Tana's hands wandered below the belt, her fingers slipping into the front of Marisa's skirt.

"No." Marisa turned around in Tana's embrace, holding her hands high and away from _that_ spot. The mercenary was beet red, but she still had her dignity to uphold. She knew that she would lose herself if they did it here. Then the whole castle would know what kind of relationship they really had. There were already rumours floating about, but nothing really substantial to go on.

"B-but…Marisa…" Tana struggled, trying to get her hands out of the Crimson Flash's iron like grip.

"Sister Catherine said no strenuous exercise, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait until this heals." Marisa pointed to the swath of bandages wrapped around her mid section. She snatched the infirmary robe off the cot, slipping it on to prevent further temptation on Tana's part.

"But…" The princess looked crestfallen, her lower lip trembling as she cast a sidelong glance at Marisa. "Weren't you the one who said it was getting boring doing it in our bedroom…?" She bit her lip, looking innocently at the mercenary.

Clearing her throat, Marisa turned a little red at the princess' comment, certainly remembering those as her own words. "W-Well, I might have said that, but this is a different situation. The healers are still in the room…what if they…hear us?"

Smiling sinisterly, Tana brushed up against Marisa, taking hold of her hand as she guided it beneath her skirt.

"T-Tana! What are you doing?" Marisa jerked her hand away as she felt the wetness through the thin cotton of Tana's panties.

"Please?" The girl pouted, begging with her beautiful blue eyes as she smiled so innocently. "Just make me come once, okay? And I'll stop talking about this nonsense."

Marisa blushed at the girl's words, appalled at such language from the delicate princess.

"I-am-se-ri-ous." She enunciated each syllable as she captured Marisa's lips with hers, kissing her thoroughly. Before the swordsmaster could retaliate, Tana pulled away, wagging her finger at the girl.

"F-fine…As you wish, my princess…" Marisa accepted defeat and Tana giggled delightedly, granting the swordswoman permission as she closed her eyes.

Marisa leaned forward and kissed the girl passionately, moving their positions so that Tana was backed up against the wall. She hastily pulled Tana's frilly panties down, the ridiculously thin fabric already soaked through.

As they parted for air, Marisa flipped up the princess' skirt, handing her the fabric. "I-I'll need you to take care of this yourself. It'll get in my way…" Nodding wordlessly, Tana held the fabric in her mouth, both her hands laid against the wall for support. She could feel her legs shaking as she saw Marisa get down on her knees. Before the mercenary even touched her, the princess was already shuddering in pleasure.

Suddenly, the ecstasy hit her like a wave as she tried to stifle her moans. Biting down on the piece of fabric between her teeth, she willed herself not to cry out. She clenched her fists tighter as she felt Marisa's tongue enter her, licking and sucking on her insides. Her nails dug bloody half crescents into her palms, her body tense and rigid against the wall.

Her pleasure rose and rose ad she slowly neared her limit. Her senses left her, the last of her willpower used to repress her moans. Tana could feel the electricity course through her, almost, almost at her limit. Only a little bit more. Desperately, Tana grabbed fistfuls of Marisa's hair, holding the girl between her legs as she shivered with pleasure.

"Ahnn…Ah…M-Marisa…" Tana couldn't keep her voice to herself, rising almost above a hoarse whisper.

Marisa broke away from her ministrations, standing up as she pinned Tana against the wall, licking her lips as she whispered to her princess. "Tana…if you raise your voice…we'll be in…trouble…" The mercenary's breaths came in short gasps, her cheeks flushed as she pressed up against Tana, her fingers slipping in between the princess' inner thighs. "J-just a little more, right…?"

Tana nodded wordlessly, her face layered with sweat as Marisa's hand worked furiously to please her princess.

"I-I can't take it anymore…I-I'm going to-mfph!" Tana shut her eyes as Marisa's lips silenced her cries, the pleasure in her body cresting to point where she felt numb with enjoyment.

Parting for air, the two collapsed against each other, panting to catch their breath.

"T-that…that was…better than I could ever imagine…" Tana had a giant grin on her face, stretching from ear to ear. She wiped the sweat off her face, pulling her panties back up as she tried to steady her balance.

Standing a meter away from her, Marisa had a hand held against the wall for support, trembling slightly. Her head was angled down, her hair obscuring her face.

Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, Tana wondered if the mercenary wasn't feeling well because of her own selfish desire. "M-Marisa…is something wrong? Is your wound okay?"

The princess could feel the girl's entire frame shaking, alarms going off in her mind.

"I-I can't be here anymore…" The swordswoman's voice was barely audible, scratchy and strained.

"W-what do you mean, Marisa?" Tana was confused, hoping she hadn't done anything to upset her.

"I really can't take it anymore." Marisa grabbed Tana's hands in her calloused ones, dragging the girl out as she almost made a run out of the infirmary.

One of the sisters noticed the pink blur, calling after the two girls as the raced down the hallway. "Miss Marisa! No strenuous activities! I told you!"

Being towed along by the speedy Crimson Flash, Tana was confused, wondering what the girl had in mind. "M-Marisa, where are we going?"

Marisa didn't bother to answer as she rounded corners and dashed up stairs. It wasn't until they reached the mercenary's private room did she stop her rampage. Pausing in front of the large double doors, Marisa fished out a key and inserted it in the lock. "No one else has access to this room."

"I-I think it's about time that you tell me what you're up to!" Tana huffed as she tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for an answer.

Paying the princess no heed, the mercenary pulled the girl inside the room with the curtains drawn. Even though it was light out, the room was pitch black. She bolted and locked the door, leading Tana further into the deep space. It was quite lavish and spacious, almost as nice as the princess' quarters.

Before Marisa could drag Tana any further, the Pegasus knight stopped her, refusing to budge until she told her why she was here. "Just what are you planning to do?" She pouted sourly, her arms crossed against her chest.

Then, at that moment, Marisa let out a soft chuckle, looking up at the princess with a sultry gaze as she whispered. "I want to eat my fill of you…"

Tana blushed, darting away from Marisa as she caught that glint in her eyes. "W-what kind of embarrassing things are you talking about?"

"You'll see…" The mercenary closed the distance between them in one fluid motion, capturing Tana's lips with her own as she forced her down onto the mattress.

* * *

Hours later, when the sun finally set, the two girls came out of Marisa's rarely used room. Marisa was once again clad in her trademark miniskirt, putting her hideout under lock and key as they made their way down the deserted corridors.

"I think I'll need to see Sister Catherine again before I retire for the night…I think I can feel the blood seeping through the wrappings. " Marisa muttered as she placed a hand on her side.

"I guess I shouldn't have provoked you…" Tana looked away with a blush on her cheeks, feeling ashamed of her behaviour in the infirmary.

"N-No…Please don't think that it is your fault…" The usually cold Marisa was flushed a light pink as well as she continued to mutter to herself. "The environment certainly did make the experience more…memorable…"

"Ehehe…then does that mean we'll do it again?" Tana looked over expectantly, a lecherous grin creeping onto her features.

"No." Surely and definitely, Marisa gave the princess her answer, but the blush still remained on her pale cheeks.

"Aww…I know you're saying that now, but I'm sure I'll change your mind when we actually get to it." Tana giggled as she latched onto Marisa's arm.

"There's really no changing your mind once you have it set on something, is there…?" Marisa sighed, wondering when she had become such an obedient servant.

"As long as you're with me, I don't care what we do." The princess smiled contently, resting her head on the mercenary's shoulder.

"Really…?" Marisa looked over, seeing Tana nod her head slightly. "Then…how about we do some training…? It's been a while since we've done that, right?" Her tone dropped an octave, suddenly becoming more solemn than the atmosphere allowed.

"You are right…these days…all we've been doing are…indecent things day in and day out…" Tana blushed heavily, hoping she wasn't some sex-starved girl who wouldn't be happy unless she satisfied herself at least once a day.

"I…want to train more these days." The swordswoman didn't seem to have heard Tana's words, her voice lost in a dreamy state. "I'm…I feel like I've gotten weaker. To be wounded by that man…"

"No, Marisa! He used underhanded tricks. Even if he was up against the best swordsman in the world, I'm sure Geoffrey would have wounded them the same way he did you.

"The best swordsman…" Marisa drifted even further as she thought back to her goal, her life's aspiration. She wanted to be as great as her father, to surpass him and everyone in this world…

"I-I know what you're thinking…You want to be the best, right?" Tana stopped in her tracks, looking down as she became strangely quiet.

"I wanted to be the best swordsman there ever was…It may be selfish of me, but that was my dream." Marisa sighed.

"Then…" The princess looked away from Marisa. "Y-you should go. Go and travel the world and…gain experience and training. Y-you're still young, so you should do it now while you have the chance!" Tana broke away from Marisa's grasp, turning to face away from the girl.

"Tana…you're being ridiculous." Marisa put a hand on the Tana's shoulder, trying to make the girl face her. However, Tana shook off the mercenary's hand, stubbornly looking away. It was hard to console the princess about anything, especially on matters concerning Marisa.

"You have potential…so it would be a pity to waste it being my personal guard…"

"Even if you say that…I don't want to leave you. I can't." Marisa snaked her arms around her lover's waist, gathering the girl close to her as she held her gently. "I really can't stand to be away from you…even I had the opportunity to become the greatest swordsman in all the land, I wouldn't do it if it meant being away from you for even a second."

Tana blushed, feeling strange about all those embarrassing things Marisa just said, but she could feel happiness swell in her heart. "Y-you're such a smooth talker…where on earth did you learn that from…?"

"That…is a secret." Marisa smiled radiantly as Tana turned in their embrace.

"There's no one around, so it's okay, right?" The princess looked up shyly at her dazzling knight, feeling something that couldn't be described as anything other than love.

"I guess…it's okay…" Marisa trailed off as she leaned forward, pressing her lips to Tana's unbelievably soft ones.

* * *

"Tch…" He chewed on his nails as he spied the two women engaged in an intimate conversation. He nearly lost it when they started kissing.

"So they have such a twisted and deviant relationship…I should've noticed by the way they act around each other." He scoffed as he continued to watch them from the shadows. His plan for revenge was already formulating in his mind as he watched them enviously.

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *


End file.
